Comment On Putingz A Hex Onz Youz

Anonymous:

This looks like a guid generator (ROFL)

Has nobody else noticed that Length is re-used inside the loop?  It doesn't matter what you pass into this, your ID will always be a random length less than 16.  Unless that was an Alex transcription error...

And yes, Z is for zero.  ^_^

I found this one intriguing because I wasn't sure if:

1) the last line would result in a recursive function call or not -- it doesn't.  I've always hated the non-intuitive method of returning function values in VB

2) changing Length inside the for loop would effect how many times it executed -- it doesn't.

So reusing Length and Z are the only WTFs that I can find.

The real question for today is, what almost universally-recognized bad programming practice will someone defend today?  Will it be...

Not using option explicit to force variable typing and declaration, or,

Reusing a function parameter that is passed by reference as a local (I can't wait to hear the explanations for why this is smart in real-time programming situations).

I just realized that I missed the Rnd * 1000 instead of rnd * 16 WTF.

Doobie Dan:

Has nobody else noticed that Length is
re-used inside the loop?  It doesn't matter what you pass into
this, your ID will always be a random length less than 16.  Unless
that was an Alex transcription error...

And yes, Z is for zero.  ^_^

Kazrael:

Doobie Dan:

Has nobody else noticed that Length is
re-used inside the loop?  It doesn't matter what you pass into
this, your ID will always be a random length less than 16.  Unless
that was an Alex transcription error...

And yes, Z is for zero.  ^_^

The max you could get out of this function is a length of 15 (due to
the fact that value mod 16 returns 0 to 15, and the length runs 1
through length).



Unless of course I'm incorrect and the loop terminator is actually
cached and does not use the local variable.  Anyone care to note
if it is cached or truly uses the local variable? 

Xepol:

  Z for zero, I mean SHEEZE, HAVE YOU EVER!!!

The time when I write an intentional WTF (for fun), I always include the line:

       Z = 1 * 2 * 3 * 4  * 5 * 6 * 7 * 8 * 9 * 0;

People, when trying to cipher the code (pun intented), always consider discovering the Z = 0 a major accomplishment.   I'm like, "Well, why did you think I called it 'Z'"?

Since the (alleged) GUID is stored as a varchar, it could probably benefiit from some Hungarian notation too, just to clarify it's type.

For example, "sGUID" could mean "string GUID".

Or it could mean "sometimes GUID"...

Alex Papadimoulis:

  'Randomize the system timer

  Randomize Timer()

Anonymous:

I dunno. I ran 300,000 iterations of that function on four or five different length values, and I never got a wrong length. The only crappy thing I can see is the "Z". But this procedure certainly works, even if it is eye-wateringly ugly.

I guess that's one of the features of For-To right?

The thing I noticed is that since it's getting a random number from 0 to 9999, it's defeating the randomness of the number to a small degree.  0 to 9 are slightly more likely than A to F if my calculations are correct.

dubwai:

Anonymous:

I dunno. I ran 300,000 iterations of that function on four or five different length values, and I never got a wrong length. The only crappy thing I can see is the "Z". But this procedure certainly works, even if it is eye-wateringly ugly.

I guess that's one of the features of For-To right?

The thing I noticed is that since it's getting a random number from 0 to 9999, it's defeating the randomness of the number to a small degree.  0 to 9 are slightly more likely than A to F if my calculations are correct.

Make that 0 to 7, I think.

dubwai:

dubwai:

Anonymous:

I dunno. I ran 300,000 iterations of that function on four or five different length values, and I never got a wrong length. The only crappy thing I can see is the "Z". But this procedure certainly works, even if it is eye-wateringly ugly.

I guess that's one of the features of For-To right?

The thing I noticed is that since it's getting a random number from 0 to 9999, it's defeating the randomness of the number to a small degree.  0 to 9 are slightly more likely than A to F if my calculations are correct.

Make that 0 to 7, I think.

Actually, 10,000 is evenly divisible by 16, so he's okay there.

dubwai:

dubwai:

The thing I noticed is
that since it's getting a random number from 0 to 9999, it's
defeating the randomness of the number to a small degree.  0 to 9
are slightly more likely than A to F if my calculations are correct.

Make that 0 to 7, I think.

Anonymous:

dubwai:

dubwai:

Anonymous:

I dunno. I ran 300,000 iterations of that function on four or five different length values, and I never got a wrong length. The only crappy thing I can see is the "Z". But this procedure certainly works, even if it is eye-wateringly ugly.

I guess that's one of the features of For-To right?

The thing I noticed is that since it's getting a random number from 0 to 9999, it's defeating the randomness of the number to a small degree.  0 to 9 are slightly more likely than A to F if my calculations are correct.

Make that 0 to 7, I think.

Actually, 10,000 is evenly divisible by 16, so he's okay there.

it should be 999, (my mistake)

Ross Day:

dubwai:

dubwai:

The thing I noticed is that since it's getting a random number from 0 to 9999, it's defeating the randomness of the number to a small degree.  0 to 9 are slightly more likely than A to F if my calculations are correct.

Make that 0 to 7, I think.

dubwai, you crack me up.  I love it.

Unfortunately (for me) I'm not kidding around.  I have mathlexia.

Anonymous:

The code is bad enough, but the function name
generateHex is an odd name for a GUID generator, even if the output is
in hex.

I wonder if Ralph the porcelin bus driver is available...  Please somebody give this developer a crack in the head.  Most people know that Hexidecimal system does not have Z's in it!  By the way, I forgot to login and I noticed that I had a CAPTCHA and the word was "POSTAL"!  HAHAHAHAHAHA  Fits perfectly.

JohnO:

1) the last line would result in a recursive
function call or not -- it doesn't.  I've always hated the
non-intuitive method of returning function values in VB

Alex Papadimoulis:

    'Convert Int to Hex
    Select Case Length
      Case 1
        hex = "1"
      Case 2
        hex = "2"
      Case 3
        hex = "3"
      Case 4
        hex = "4"
      Case 5
        hex = "5"
      Case 6
        hex = "6"
      Case 7
        hex = "7"
      Case 8
        hex = "8"
      Case 9
        hex = "9"
      Case 10
        hex = "A"
      Case 11
        hex = "B"
      Case 12
        hex = "C"
      Case 13
        hex = "D"
      Case 14
        hex = "E"
      Case 15
        hex = "F"
      Case Else
        hex = "Z"
    End Select

Strange that no one's pointed out the stupidity of cases 1 through 9 yet, when he could simply say:

Case Is <= 9

   hex = CStr(Length)

Guess it's too obvious...

A Wizard A True Star:

Strange that no one's pointed out the stupidity of cases 1 through 9 yet, when he could simply say:

Case Is <= 9

   hex = CStr(Length)

Guess it's too obvious...

Grimoire:

A Wizard A True Star:

Strange that no one's pointed out the stupidity of cases 1 through 9 yet, when he could simply say:

Case Is <= 9

   hex = CStr(Length)

Guess it's too obvious...

Actually, it could all be replaced by



hex = Format(Length, "X")


if you don't mind having real zeroes...

Anonymous:

DZ-Jay: You need to add 1 to intRndNum, in the Mid$ function in basic the first character is 1 not 0.

JamesCurran:

The time when I write an intentional WTF (for fun), I always include the line:

       Z = 1 * 2 * 3 * 4  * 5 * 6 * 7 * 8 * 9 * 0;

My favorite Extra Credit question from a midterm in a CS Theory course (after we'd covered the Fast Fourier Transform) was:

Extra Credit (1 pt):



Give the fully simplified form of the polynomial (x - a) (x - b) ... (x - z)

Breaking news ...  we have just learned that the
hexadecimal number system has lost it's '0's due to an hostile takeover bid.  A foreign invasion of 
'Z's  - referring to the programmers having  'Zero' brains has
however  agreed to  temporary fill the terrible gap left by the
unexplained demise of the number '0'.  Stay tuned as we will keep you up
to date should any other numbers in this numbering system follow '0''s lead and
leave the number system ...

DZ-Jay:

Const C_HEXITS = "0123456789ABCDEF"

Const C_HEXITS = "Z123456789ABCDEF"

Best,
mj

dubwai:

dubwai:

Anonymous:

I dunno. I ran 300,000 iterations of that
function on four or five different length values, and I never got a
wrong length. The only crappy thing I can see is the "Z". But this
procedure certainly works, even if it is eye-wateringly ugly.

I guess that's one of the features of For-To right?

The thing I noticed is that since it's getting a random number
from 0 to 9999, it's defeating the randomness of the number to a
small degree.  0 to 9 are slightly more likely than A to F if my
calculations are correct.

Make that 0 to 7, I think.

Anonymous:

Breaking news ...  we have just learned that the hexadecimal number system has lost it's '0's due to an hostile takeover bid.  A foreign invasion of  'Z's  - referring to the programmers having  'Zero' brains has however  agreed to  temporary fill the terrible gap left by the unexplained demise of the number '0'.  Stay tuned as we will keep you up to date should any other numbers in this numbering system follow '0''s lead and leave the number system ...

Thats gonna kill the old "10 people in the world understand binary..." joke.

1ZZZ1111Z1Z1Z1

JamesCurran:

Give the fully simplified form of the polynomial (x - a) (x - b) ... (x - z)

Anonymous:

Anonymous:

Breaking news ...  we have just learned that
the hexadecimal number system has lost it's '0's due to an hostile
takeover bid.  A foreign invasion of  'Z's  - referring
to the programmers having  'Zero' brains has however  agreed
to  temporary fill the terrible gap left by the unexplained demise
of the number '0'.  Stay tuned as we will keep you up to date
should any other numbers in this numbering system follow '0''s lead and
leave the number system ...

 

Thats gonna kill the old "10 people in the world understand binary..." joke.

1ZZZ1111Z1Z1Z1

Anonymous:

DZ-Jay:

Const C_HEXITS = "0123456789ABCDEF"

Wrong, dude. Should be:

Const C_HEXITS = "Z123456789ABCDEF"

Best,
mj

Alex Papadimoulis:

    Length = CInt(Rnd * 1000) Mod 16

Anonymous:

Alex Papadimoulis:

    Length = CInt(Rnd * 1000) Mod 16

What exactly does the line above? I'm not familiar with VB at all but
common sense points that it gets a random number, multiplies it with
1000 and than computes the modulus with 16. If this is correct than
Length will always be either 0 or 8, right?

   ( (upperlimit - lowerlimit + 1) * Rnd()) + lowerlimit )

Being that upperlimit = 15 and lowerlimit = 0, then this is the same as saying:

    ( 16 * Rnd() )