When you're writing some code what helps you solve an algorithm or a problem?

For me when I'm smoking I think of all the possible code I could use and play out what will do what.

Mmm, most of the time when I'm really stuck, I just start playing one of these silly flash games

taking a break can really solve quite a few problems, as from what i learned - don't try to code something for more than 8 hours, as you'll end up doing some stupid mistakes that can be easily found & fixed the next day, when you wake up fresh

Sounds very familar for me

Yeah a break works but im one of those people that just cant leave a job half done I hate doing that. Sometimes you just have to but i find myself lying awake in bed still thinking about the problem then it just pops up out of no where. Have to say looking at someone elses code helps too. If i cant figure out something I find looking at other mods or even just searching on php.net can throw half a solution my way and half is sometimes all you need.

yep i learned everything i know from reading tutorials and looking at code snippets around the net ounce you see how it falls together gets lots easier to understand and write your own.
editors are a lot better now also i like phpeditor just because it has lots of features like syntax highligh and autocomplete.

http://www.mpsoftware.dk/
"php designer" - freeware utility that rocks :]
misc lang syntax hightlight, line number display, basic search - fast & simple.
this is what i use.

lol thats the one i meant ;)

coca cola + sickness (that way I have got lots of free time :p)

I'm with shavedape on this one lol
I find it really hard to put down once I've started to do something until it's fixed

it feels like a personal pride thing ;)

sometimes you have to stop else you'll be up all night.
and most times I stop when the frustration gets too much when something should be happening all the code looks right but it's not doing it... lol

also for editing I use the basic wordpad that comes with windows lol sometimes notepad
and if I really need to find a line number I load up excel (only for line count)

I'll take a look at the php designer and see thanks..

__________________