Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes"

From	Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes"
Date	2012-03-05 13:26 +1300
Message-ID	<9rifh9FadbU5@mid.individual.net> (permalink)
References	<jiojq3$3cm$1@speranza.aioe.org> <9ri412FadbU2@mid.individual.net> <jj0scq$ckd$1@speranza.aioe.org>

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On 03/ 5/12 12:03 PM, Don Y wrote:
> Hi Ian,
>
> On 3/4/2012 2:09 PM, Ian Collins wrote:
>> On 03/ 2/12 08:48 AM, Don Y wrote:
>
>>> I have a suite of projects that utilize a common approach to
>>> error reporting. Instead of a PASS/FAIL result, most functions
>>> return information regarding the nature of the "failure" (which
>>> can also include "partial failures"... "warnings"). These
>>> reports allow upper levels of the application to convey those
>>> details to the user without exposing all of the *mechanism*
>>> involved to those upper levels.
>>
>> My usual technique for this class of problem is to build the tables in a
>> programmer and machine friendly format, typically XML in the guise of an
>> Open Office document.
>>
>> The programmer(s) can easily maintain and version control the document
>> and the machine can easily perform validation of the data (one of my
>> teams developed an XML schema validation tool for this purpose:
>> http://sut.sourceforge.net) and generate the necessary headers.
>
> Yes, but now you have to manually relate the messages to the
> code from which they were "reasoned".  It would be like keeping
> the *comments* for your source code in a MSWord document (i.e.,
> sure, you could *do* it but you KNOW the two documents will
> quickly get out of sync as pressure has you updating one and
> defering the effort of updating the other).

Not at all.

First the user or log messages have to be documented somewhere, for user 
documentation and testing.  Scattering them throughout the code isn't a 
great way to do that.

Second, the document is the *source* for the messages and error codes, 
so it will always be up to date.

> E.g., the approach I am taking here is analagous to how Literate
> Programming couples documentation with source code (except I am
> only tackling the "error reporting" aspect of the task).

In my case, the documentation *is* part of the source code.

>>>
>>> A "solution" also needs to address the problem of *explaining*
>>> the "result" (to the ultimate user). The point at which the
>>> result is "signaled" contains the most information about the
>>> nature of the "problem" being reported though it is in a
>>> very narrowly defined context: i.e., you can tell the user
>>> "Multiple decimal points encountered" -- though you can't
>>> indicate the role that the value being entered plays in the
>>> application (is this a person's wages? the weight of a
>>> newborn child? the average lifespan of a male tortoise?).
>>
>> Tales
>
> s/Tales/Tables/  ?

:)

>> in an Office document are ideal for this. You can include as much
>> information is you want, Your code generation can select various subsets
>> of the data to present as user messages.
>
> I extract the error code, short message and long message (as well as
> the locale indicator) and stuff those into a (real) database
> (you could just as easily create a big array of struct's and
> index/search that based on the "(error code, locale)" presented).
>
> This moves all that "text" out of the "TEXT" section of the program
> (it could reside on a different *processor*!).  It also lets someone
> non-technical make and review translations without having to understand
> the actual code surrounding it (though the code acts as the final
> arbiter of what the error message actually *should* convey).

Our approaches appear to be opposite.  You extract messages from the 
code, I inject them into the code (and the tests and user documentation).

-- 
Ian Collins

Thread

Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-01 12:48 -0700
  Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Willem <willem@toad.stack.nl> - 2012-03-01 21:29 +0000
    Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-01 16:53 -0700
  Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" William Ahern <william@wilbur.25thandClement.com> - 2012-03-01 14:13 -0800
    Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-01 22:07 -0700
  Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-03-01 17:53 -0500
    Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-01 23:05 -0700
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-03-02 01:50 -0500
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-02 00:43 -0700
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-03-03 17:58 -0500
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-03-04 03:16 -0500
              Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-04 13:47 -0700
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-04 13:45 -0700
              Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-03-04 18:37 -0500
                Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-04 22:12 -0700
                Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-03-08 01:41 -0500
                Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-09 14:34 -0700
  Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-02 00:30 -0700
    Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-03-02 02:05 -0800
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2012-03-02 10:47 +0000
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2012-03-02 14:18 +0000
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-02 10:46 -0700
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-03-02 14:08 -0500
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-02 12:38 -0700
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2012-03-02 22:57 +0000
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-02 17:14 -0700
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2012-03-03 02:25 +0000
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-03-03 06:10 -0500
              Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-03-03 16:12 -0500
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-03-03 04:04 -0800
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2012-03-03 15:05 +0000
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-03-03 16:25 +0000
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-03-03 16:26 -0500
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-03-03 13:40 -0800
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-03-03 12:03 +1300
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-03-02 15:45 -0800
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-02 17:18 -0700
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" blp@cs.stanford.edu (Ben Pfaff) - 2012-03-02 15:08 -0800
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2012-03-03 10:30 +0000
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-03-03 06:19 -0500
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2012-03-03 15:15 +0200
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2012-03-03 14:52 +0000
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-03-03 07:39 -0800
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Jonathan Leffler <jleffler@earthlink.net> - 2012-03-03 23:56 -0800
              Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-03-05 09:20 +1300
                Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-03-04 13:28 -0800
                Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-03-05 10:56 +1300
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2012-03-03 17:02 +0000
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-03-03 12:30 -0800
    Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-03 19:15 -0700
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2012-03-04 03:20 +0000
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-04 11:03 -0700
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-04 16:31 -0700
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-04 23:04 -0700
  Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-03-02 22:13 -0800
    Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-03 00:49 -0700
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-03-03 03:32 -0800
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-03 12:04 -0700
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Lowell Gilbert <lgusenet@be-well.ilk.org> - 2012-03-03 15:06 -0500
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-03 14:38 -0700
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-03-03 12:15 -0800
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-03 16:51 -0700
              Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-03-04 14:08 -0800
                Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-04 15:56 -0700
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-03-03 03:45 -0800
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Lowell Gilbert <lgusenet@be-well.ilk.org> - 2012-03-03 14:11 -0500
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-03 13:03 -0700
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-03 12:32 -0700
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-03 15:04 -0700
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-03-04 11:09 +1300
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-03 16:55 -0700
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-03-04 13:04 +1300
              Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-03 18:24 -0700
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-03-03 14:30 -0800
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-03 17:06 -0700
  Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-03-05 10:09 +1300
    Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-04 16:03 -0700
      Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-03-05 13:26 +1300
        Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-04 22:21 -0700
          Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-03-05 20:46 +1300
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-05 10:54 -0700
              Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-03-06 10:02 +1300
                Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-05 16:09 -0700
            Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2012-03-06 10:54 +0000
              Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-03-07 07:22 +1300
  Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" gordonb.8sa24@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2012-03-06 08:51 -0600
    Re: Mechanism to generate annotated "error codes" Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2012-03-06 11:21 -0700

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