Path: csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!news.etla.org!news.stack.nl!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed3.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.042 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.92; '*S*': 0.00; 'ide': 0.09; 'variables.': 0.09; 'cc:addr:python-list': 0.11; 'suggest': 0.14; 'doing,': 0.16; 'received:mac.com': 0.16; 'stepping': 0.16; 'subject:program': 0.16; 'subject:skip:u 10': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'variable': 0.18; 'all,': 0.19; 'received:10.0.1': 0.19; 'thanks.': 0.20; 'cc:addr:python.org': 0.22; 'cc:2**1': 0.23; 'cc:no real name:2**0': 0.24; '15,': 0.26; 'certain': 0.27; 'function': 0.29; 'am,': 0.29; 'points': 0.29; 'url:mailman': 0.30; 'code': 0.31; 'trace': 0.31; 'url:python': 0.33; 'running': 0.33; "i'd": 0.34; 'add': 0.35; 'there': 0.35; 'url:listinfo': 0.36; 'charset:us-ascii': 0.36; 'received:10.0': 0.36; 'url:org': 0.36; 'received:10': 0.37; 'nov': 0.38; 'received:17': 0.38; 'url:mail': 0.40; 'how': 0.40; 'break': 0.61; 'making': 0.63; 'places': 0.64; 'to:addr:gmail.com': 0.65; "else's": 0.84; 'header :In-reply-to:1': 0.84; 'start.': 0.84; 'subject:else': 0.84; '2013,': 0.91 X-Proofpoint-Virus-Version: vendor=fsecure engine=2.50.10432:5.10.8794,1.0.14,0.0.0000 definitions=2013-11-15_02:2013-11-15,2013-11-15,1970-01-01 signatures=0 X-Proofpoint-Spam-Details: rule=notspam policy=default score=0 spamscore=0 suspectscore=0 phishscore=0 adultscore=0 bulkscore=0 classifier=spam adjust=0 reason=mlx scancount=1 engine=7.0.1-1308280000 definitions=main-1311150065 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii MIME-version: 1.0 (Mac OS X Mail 6.6 \(1510\)) Subject: Re: understanding someone else's program From: William Ray Wing In-reply-to: <19cb1c85-1c01-4c53-a26a-29f96c5926eb@googlegroups.com> Date: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 08:50:02 -0500 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable References: <19cb1c85-1c01-4c53-a26a-29f96c5926eb@googlegroups.com> To: "C. Ng" X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.1510) Cc: python-list@python.org, William Ray Wing X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 24 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1384523402 news.xs4all.nl 15973 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:33337 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:59518 On Nov 15, 2013, at 6:05 AM, C. Ng wrote: > Hi all, >=20 > Please suggest how I can understand someone else's program where > - documentation is sparse > - in function A, there will be calls to function B, C, D.... and in = those functions will be calls to functions R,S,T.... and so on so = forth... making it difficult to trace what happens to a certain variable >=20 > Am using ERIC4 IDE. >=20 > Thanks. > --=20 > https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list The other suggestions you have received are good places to start. I'd = add only one other - that you consider running the code inside an IDE = and single-stepping through as you watch what happens to the variables. = As you get a better and better feel for what the code is doing, you can = move up from single stepping to setting break points before and after = places you are still scratching you head over. -Bill=