4.8 Tools Tips

• Optimize your computer
• Use surge protector or UPS
• Avoid using version 1.0.0
• Use the shortcut keys
• Use "Find in Files" button
• Use "Go to Definition"
• Use automatic statement completion
• Backup your work regularly
• Cancel text smoothing in acrobat
• Set Windows Display properties
• Prefer to buy the tools that you need
• Avoid using Replace All

Optimize your computer

Your main working tool is your PC computer. Just like car maintenance, you need to tune and maintain your personal computer.

Here are some things you should do in order to take care for your PC:

• Get enough RAM.

  When several applications consume the whole physical memory, the operating system perform swapping to the hard disk. Reading and writing to the hard disk take a long time.

  In order to avoid swapping to the hard disk, you should install at least 1Gb (=1024Mb) RAM. Many users may find that they need even 2Gb.

• Reduce the power consumption.

  Use the Energy saving settings to reduce the computer's power consumption.

  In windows operating system, open the control panel and open the Energy ???

  Set the monitor and hard disk to turn off after several minuets of not using the computer.

  Set the stand by mode after 30 minuets.

• Perform disk scan regularly
• Perform disk defragmentation regularly

Use surge protector or UPS

Surge protector will protect your computer from voltage spikes.

UPS will protect your computer from voltage spikes and unsaved data erase when power fails.

Avoid using version 1.0.0

Everyone knows that to be the first to buy a new car model can be risky, because you can stumble upon several malfunctions that the car's manufacturer did not find.

This rule is true in the development world. You can expect that the products with version 1.0.0 will have some hidden problems. Unless there isn't a reasonable alternative, you should avoid using version 1.0.0.

Some people insist that this is especially true with Microsoft products, we can relate to the fact that Microsoft products are wide spread.

Use the shortcut keys

The shortcut keys are used to activate the application features by using the keyboard, instead of using the buttons and menus.

For example - when you are using an editor you can copy with CTRL+C and paste with CTRL+V.

Using the shortcut keys will increase your productivity and reduce the development interaction time. You must learn the shortcut keys and use them!

See: common shortcut keys table

Use "Find in Files" button

When sometime you are not familiar with the code it may be a good idea to use the Find in Files button to find where the functions and variables are used.

Use "Go to Definition"

In order to quickly see the variable's definition, you can use mouse right click and choose Go to Definition menu item.

Use automatic statement completion

With Visual C++ editor, use automatic IntelliSense statement completion or press CTRL+Space.

Backup your work regularly

Everyone at least once, experienced a power loss or a system crash that wiped out all the code that he wrote.

Reasons for loosing your work:

• Power fail.
• Program or OS crash.
• Source code files corruption.
• Hard disk crash.

Backup options:

• Burn your files on CD/DVD.
• Copy files to local network server.
• Upload files to internet server
• Copy files to magnetic tape.
• Use RAID disks.

Backing up the files that you need will ensure your files will not be lost.

Cancel text smoothing in Adobe Reader

Adobe Reader (previously Acrobat) is a common pdf file browser.

Many people may find that canceling the text smoothing feature will make the text more readable.

Select menu item: Edit Þ Preferences Þ Page Display and uncheck the Smooth text check box.

Set Windows Display Properties

• Use LCD monitor's native resolution:

  If you have LCD monitor, you should use the monitor's native resolution in order to achieve sharp view.

  If you don't use the native resolution, the display will be smoothed since pixel interpolation will be done.

  In order to set the native resolution open Control Panel Þ Display Properties Þ Settings and change the Screen Resolution.

• Use refresh rate of at least 75Hz with CRT monitor:

  Unlike LCD monitor which has continuous pixel display, the old CRT display has a flickering display, which under a threshold of about 75Hz can make your head ache.

  In order to set the refresh rate to a proper value open Control Panel Þ Display Properties Þ Settings Þ Advanced Þ Monitor Þ Monitor Refresh Rate. Change it to at least 75Hz.

• Set large fonts display:

  Open Control Panel Þ Display Properties Þ Appearance Þ Font Size and select Large Fonts

• Cancel text smoothing:

  Open Control Panel Þ Display Properties Þ Appearance Þ Effects and uncheck the Smooth Fonts checkbox.

   

Prefer to buy the tools that you need

You can get most of the software tools and components that you need from the free software world. You can use Linux operating system, OpenOffice and many other free software tools and packages. Yet using some of these tools might has a hidden price that you pay - your time will be wasted. The free software is usually developed with lower standards than the software that you can buy. It lacks proper documentation and has more bugs. If you use the software at work, saving few dollars might cost you a lot of money. This thumb rule has several exceptions, but is usually true. If you are a free student with a lot of spear time and without money, the free world should be your choice.

Avoid using Replace All

Using editor's Replace command will save you a lot of paste operations. Using Replace All command will do the job immediately or will it? Many times Replace All will insert bugs to your code, when it will replace text that you did not intended it to replace.