The Daily WTF: Curious Perversions in Information Technology

Oh, XML

by Alex Papadimoulis in CodeSOD on 2008-04-30

"Having worked in the Computer industry for about twenty years now," Matt writes, "I rarely get the chance to actually write code. But I do get the joy of other people's problems landing at my feet when things go wrong."

"Not too long ago, one of our newer techies emailed me, complaining that he couldn't get load image data from a WebService created by another developer. Given that all of the XML serialization and deserialization is handed through our enterprisey library, it was only when I visted the WebService address in my browser that I was able to see the 'raw' data:

125 comments - Last comment @ 2011-01-13

Seven Twisty Little Code Files, All Alike

by Jake Vinson in CodeSOD on 2008-04-22

"I started working at my company about four years ago," Craig F. writes. "When I started here there were a number of applications developed and floating around for use by the staff, all written by a contractor whom I've never met, but whose name I curse regularly.

"Over the years I've re-written a number of the smaller applications he wrote. Usually because the users wanted new functionality, and I didn't want to (or couldn't) delve into the classic ASP code that they were made of. There is one application, however, that continues to haunt me.

74 comments - Last comment @ 2009-02-27

The Stored Procedure Solution

by Jake Vinson in CodeSOD on 2008-04-18

Things started simply enough. In the first version of the now years-old ColdFusion application that Lindsay L maintains, all database queries were hard-coded.

<cfquery name="get_products" ds="#datasource#>
    select * from products where customer_id=#customer_id#
</cfquery>

137 comments - Last comment @ 2008-04-27

They're Useful... In General

by Alex Papadimoulis in CodeSOD on 2008-04-14

"I've lost the will to live," Reacher writes, "or at the very least, debug my coworker's code."

"Whenever this coworker works on a new project, he always insists upon adding in Utils.cs. It's a collection of static methods that he's been building up since a CS class at university, and contains all sorts of useful helpers like this...

87 comments - Last comment @ 2010-09-27

A Method by Any Other Name

by Jake Vinson in CodeSOD on 2008-04-09

K. K. sent in an example of his company's naming conventions for methods, in which if you have a method that's used frequently, you repeat part of its name for dramatic effect.

91 comments - Last comment @ 2010-03-24

The RedirectException

by Alex Papadimoulis in CodeSOD on 2008-04-07

Hannes writes, "I'm currently working on ~~maintaining~~ rewriting an application from the early days of ASP.NET (c. 2001) to be all AJAXy and Web 2.0. One of the first things I stumbled over when I first fired up the debugger was a strange exception - the RedirectException - that got thrown on almost every page. Sometimes, it was thrown more than once in the page lifecycle, but it never made it up to the front-end.

"I quickly found out the developer didn't quite get the concept of exceptions.

149 comments - Last comment @ 2023-10-22

Pop Quiz, Hotshot

by Jake Vinson in CodeSOD on 2008-04-02

Something different for today — a multiple choice CodeSOD! Assume the following:

(CASE WHEN "Help Desk Attributes".Priority = '3-Medium' AND ("Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" - (Case WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 0 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 5 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 6 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 12 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 13 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 19 THEN 5 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 2 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 4 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 2 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 5 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 2 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 11 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 2 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 12 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 2 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 18 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 3 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 3 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 3 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 4 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 3 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 10 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 3 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 11 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 3 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 17 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 4 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 2 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 4 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 3 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 4 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 9 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 4 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 10 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 4 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 16 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 5 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 1 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 5 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 2 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 5 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 8 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 5 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 9 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 5 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 15 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 6 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 0 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 6 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 1 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 6 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 7 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 6 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 8 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 6 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 14 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 0 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 1 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" <= 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 76 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 7 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 13 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 14 THEN 5 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 20 THEN 6 ELSE 0 END)) <= 5 THEN 1 WHEN "Help Desk Attributes".Priority = '4-Low' AND ("Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" - (Case WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 0 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 5 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 6 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 12 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 13 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 1 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 19 THEN 5 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 2 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 4 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 2 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 5 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 2 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 11 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 2 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 12 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 2 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 18 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 3 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 3 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 3 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 4 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 3 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 10 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 3 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 11 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 3 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 17 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 4 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 2 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 4 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 3 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 4 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 9 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 4 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 10 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 4 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 16 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 5 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 1 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 5 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 2 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 5 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 8 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 5 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 9 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 5 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 15 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 6 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 0 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 6 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 1 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 6 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 7 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 6 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 8 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 6 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 14 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" BETWEEN -1 AND 0 THEN 0 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 1 THEN 1 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" <= 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 76 THEN 2 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 7 THEN 3 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 13 THEN 4 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" = 14 THEN 5 WHEN "- Open Date"."Day in Week" = 7 AND "Help Desk Attributes"."TAT To Close - Days" <= 20 THEN 6 ELSE 0 END)) <= 10 THEN 1 ELSE 0 END)

83 comments - Last comment @ 2008-05-19

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