Gradually learning a programming language

I was just wondering if any of you programmers or scripters had a moment when it finally started to click? I have been a cut and paste code stealer for most of my career without much originality or understanding on my own part. Lately though after going through the code over and over and working with it to get it to do different task it has started to make sense. The syntax is making more and more sense and I am able to free style a bit more. Just wondered how it worked for you.

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WafflesAndRootbeer

That's how it works for most people these days. Fake it til you can't make it is how many do code-work in the industry since so much of it is freely available online. The people who actually "get it" are few and far between these days and many who fake it don't bother to actually probe the abyss of writing code, so good for you for sticking your finger into that deep dark hole.

YFZblu

WafflesAndRootbeer wrote: »

good for you for sticking your finger into that deep dark hole.

...this cracked me up.

N2IT

It feels that way sometimes.

DB Cooper

My life is full of regret, if I could I would of gotten onto programming. I think I would of enjoyed the creative side of programming.

I understand html, and currently learning php. But who knows what tomorrow holds, I say jump in the deep dark whole.

paul78

Hmmm. Interesting question. I had to go into the way back machine to think about it. Back in the pre-internet days, cut-and-paste wasn't an option. I think it really clicked for me when I spent 3 days straight with 2-3 hours of nap breaks to write a graphics charting library. I think it was more spurts of inspiration and intense focus that propelled me forward. And lots of reference books. As I think about it, there were several times when I would pull 48 to 60 hour marathon sessions of coding. And I would crawl away with new found comprehension. I remember other times like writing a btree library, tcpip decoder, Huffman encoder, etc.. I think the key for me was the nonstop effort.

CodeBlox

For me it was failing to complete hobby projects because of a lack of knowledge which led me to really research, learn, and explore.

N2IT

Thanks for chiming in all. I agree Paul I have to stay diligent and stay at it.

lsud00d

I'm a fan of Learn Python the Hard Way...just repetitive tasks that build on lessons.

Learn Python The Hard Way

Looks like there are also other free online versions for Ruby, C, SQL, and CLI.

Zorodzai

Like you I'm still learning. I had to learn python to automate a number of work related tasks during projects when our RnD team were busy and waiting would have just delayed the project resulting in me failing my appraisal - nothing like the prospect of not getting a bonus to get one cracking at it

tpatt100

I am finding it difficult to not see Python knowledge on job postings for security positions I am interested in....

JDMurray

Everyone should try to learn programming. It's something that you will never know if you have an innate aptitude for unless you try it. Even if you find it a chore to learn, programming will give you an understanding about the inside-workings of your machines that non-programming IT professionals will never have.

N2IT

Thanks JD. I don't feel I have an innate aptitude for programming, but I do feel I have enough to become proficient in at least with VBA. Projects like taking a spreadsheet with 100000 rows and turning them into individual templates. Subroutines etc. Nothing to crazy like building forms and interfaces for users. I think that level of compentency is possible.

amcnow

It started "clicking" for me when I starting having dreams about school development projects. I would then see the results from those dreams come to fruition in the real world. True story.

With regards to acquiring programming knowledge... Lack of patience is the leading cause of failure, not lack of aptitude.

JDMurray

I would also add, "lack of interesting programming projects to work on." To learn programming, you need to find some project(s) that pique your interest and keep you engaged in learning how to design, implement, and test software. Practice, practice, practice!

Asif Dasl

I've been playing around with an Excel VBA file to download stock information with Yahoo Finance. It's taken a few days to get it working the way I want it to but I finally have it working. Like you N2IT at first I did a copy and paste job from this youtube video, well, watch and rewrite is more accurate! But I'm going through a Lynda.com Excel VBA course to see what else I could do with it. I don't do programming but I think I could find a few projects to use VBA again..

exampasser

My curiosity of electronics got me back into programming. I began playing around with an Arduino last December and also picked up a few MSP430's (while they were at the dirt cheap price of $4.30). I haven't done anything major yet, just things such as turning on a light with a remote control, interfacing with shift registers, hooking up the Arduino to my Raspberry Pi to collect temperature data with python scripts, and various other things. You can get alot of your components for free Getting samples

About7Narwhal

My "coding" includes a long drawn out stare until the end user thinks I notice something. I then perk up, smile, and say "Yep, something is broken." On a serious note, I have been trying to learn PS passively and haven't quite made it there yet. I understand the commands but I haven't gotten to the "Lets put all of these together to make a script!" stage yet. I am hoping it will come soon though.

joehalford01

I've been picking up pieces here and there myself. The problem I run into is that I can think of a million cool things I would like to do and that is interesting, but actually learning how to program...so boring.....I'm slowly making progress though.

JDMurray

About7Narwhal wrote: »

My "coding" includes a long drawn out stare until the end user thinks I notice something. I then perk up, smile, and say "Yep, something is broken."

That's not coding; that's Software Quality Assurance.

N2IT

JD what do you think of my expectations of learning how to use VBA with Access and Excel. Learning the different procedures, copying ranges and doing filtering etc. That to me seems to be possible to learn for anyone, where as developing high end software solutions not so much. Thoughts? Again this is under the assumption, you like it, you stick with it, and you practice several times a week. Not to mention I have projects at work that require it. Thanks for your opinion.

ptilsen

N2IT wrote: »

JD what do you think of my expectations of learning the how to use VBA with Access and Excel. Learning the different procedures, copying ranges and doing filtering etc. That to me seems to be possible to learn for anyone, where as developing high end software solutions not so much. Thoughts?

I would agree with this. I got into more advanced scripting through having to do real automation tasks to save me time. I learned a lot by forcing myself to figure out the solution rather than give up and do things manually. However, even my early CS courses have unlocked a lot of concepts that I simply wouldn't have found without a structured software engineering learning plan. That doesn't necessarily mean a formal class (it could be a book or guided online "class", or whatever), but what I would say is getting into actual software engineering or more serious programming challenges is going to require more than the occasional tackling of approachable coding projects using Google and stuff you've figured out using Google.

Put another way, you're not going to become a software engineer by doing little VBA or PowerShell automation projects. But, you might become pretty good at writing VBA macros or administrative PowerShell scripts.

N2IT

PT and that is exactly where I want to be. Thanks for following up.

NotHackingYou

Agree with above, pick up a good book that will teach you a foundation on your chosen language. Most of the concepts carry through to various languges pretty easily.

N2IT

I am going through Curtis Fyre's CBT with Access and Excel and reading VBA for Dummies. (Of course Google and real projects at work).

UnixGuy

I still remember that moment, back at college, when I was learning C++. Once things start to make sense, everything will be easy and pretty straightforward. You can now learn any programming language you want with some effort.

N2IT

UG thanks for the follow up. Pretty exciting stuff automating task and developing solutions that are used to help move along a company etc.

NotHackingYou

It is really exciting when you take something that used to take a person hours and make it just 'happen'.

kurosaki00

Learning at least the basics of programming should be something EVERYONE should do
Not only because it will teach ppl some insight on whats going on with their machines

but because it makes you see/think/questions completely different than other ppl.

For me there's how programmers think and then there is else
programmer think in a "if" way
troubleshoot = start(got a problem)---> is the problem affecting this? no? do this, if yes do that
and so on, its very systematic.
I want to stay for a late drink with my bros
should I tell wife? yes? will she get mad? probably
no-->should I lie and tell her is late work? yes? she will get angry anyways

Sinema

I started to learn how to code way back when WebTV was around. We never had the chance to do cut and paste or had any static forms to create web pages but I had to write my codes on paper and then type them in line by line on a Web TV. It clicked when I got on a computer and realized that I had actually taught myself very basic coding by continuous input of the same lines over and over.

N2IT

@ Carl I couldn't agree more. It really helps drive the business when you can automate task that require a lot of man hours not to mention the accuracy you build in the process. I'm not looking to become a big time developer, just to be able to use VBA and maybe another language down the road to automate.