From: arne@vajhoej.dk   
      
   On 4/17/2025 10:08 AM, bill wrote:   
   > On 4/17/2025 8:56 AM, Arne Vajhøj wrote:   
   >> On 4/17/2025 8:50 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:   
   >>> On 2025-04-17, bill  wrote:   
   >>>> On 4/16/2025 9:29 PM, Dan Cross wrote:   
   >>>>> Most modern code-counting tools _are_ language aware.  Whether   
   >>>>> they do a better or worse job for each given language may be a   
   >>>>> matter of debate, but most at least recognize different   
   >>>>> languages and have some knowledge of their semantics.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>> I wonder how they would handle BASIC?  :-)   
   >>>>   
   >>>> 10 FOR X = 1 TO 10   
   >>>> 20 PRINT X   
   >>>> 30 NEXT X   
   >>>>   
   >>>> 10 FOR X = 1 TO 10:PRINT X:NEXT X   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Is the snippet above one line of code or three?   
   >>>   
   >>> 3 lines of code.   
   >>   
   >> Other replies cover what the tools actually does.   
   >>   
   >> If we discuss what is the "right" answer, then I would   
   >> actually say 2.   
   >>   
   >> for i := 1 to 10 do writeln(i)   
   >>   
   >> for i := 1 to 10 do   
   >>     writeln(i)   
   >>   
   >> for i := 1 to 10 do begin   
   >>     writeln(i)   
   >> end;   
   >>   
   >> for i := 1 to 10 do   
   >> begin   
   >>     writeln(i)   
   >> end;   
   >>   
   >> for(i = 1; i <= 10; i++) printf("%d\n", i);   
   >>   
   >> for(i = 1; i <= 10; i++)   
   >>      printf("%d\n", i);   
   >>   
   >> for(i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {   
   >>      printf("%d\n", i);   
   >> }   
   >>   
   >> for(i = 1; i <= 10; i++)   
   >> {   
   >>      printf("%d\n", i);   
   >> }   
   >>   
   >> I would say 2 for all.   
   >>   
   >> And unless Basic next has some subtle functionality I am not   
   >> aware of then I would say 2 for Basic as well.   
   >   
   > Interesting concept.  But the NEXT is a requirement of the   
   > language, does take time to type and if it is left out does   
   > require debugging to fix the problem.  So, if we are counting   
   > lines in some attempt to determine the cost of writing and   
   > maintaining the program it seems it would have to count as   
   > a line.   
      
   Programming is more about thinking than about typing.   
      
   The thinking part is about adding two constructs:   
   - having i iterate from 1 to 10 => Basic FOR loop   
   - printing a line with i => Basic PRINT statement   
      
   The specific language syntax requirement and the developers   
   formatting preference is not a thinking problem (unless   
   the developer does not know the language well, but   
   that is a more general problem).   
      
   Which is why I consider it two.   
      
   But all this goes back to my original point. Counting   
   non-blank and non-comment lines is simple while trying to   
   count "right" end up in having to make dozens maybe   
   hundreds of decisions on how to count various constructs   
   in various languages. Several posts back I brought up   
   fluent style - not an easy one to count in my opinion.   
      
   If we instead of those few lines you provided took an entire   
   application and asked everybody here to count, then I would not   
   be surprised if everybody came up with a different number.   
      
   Which is why I have been talking about "right" answer and not   
   right answer.   
      
   Arne   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)