How do you remember it all?

[mikeymike]

With all of the APIs, methods, etc. How do you remember all of it? Do you write it down? Keep samples? etc.?
Just curious as to how other people do this.

[Studlyami]

I have kept a lot of code samples and references for certain functionality, but the majority of it is remembering what the API or class can do and where to get information on it. I can't begin to think how many times I couldn't remember how to use a simple class or function call and I have to go out and look up the reference on it. I think its all about knowing what you can do in software and where you can find information on how to do it. I do a lot of windows programming and I am constantly on MSDN.

[gits]

very true ... you always just need to remember the abilities and when you forgot the correct API then you just need to know where you find the reference quickly ... i think most, if not all, programmers will use/need a reference and don't remember every detailed API ... but of course often the basic ones are and should be in mind :)

in case you are a student, then you could be out of luck, when you are not allowed to use a quick-reference or similar material in certain cases ... as i was teaching at the university i mostly allowed such helping materials but i know that that could differ from institution to institution ... then you have to find a way to memorize the needed things, most people have their own way to do that ... but that is not different from learning any spoken language or other things that have to be memorized?

kind regards

[Markus]

If the API has good documentation, then you don't need to worry about remembering it, although continuous use will do that for you anyway.

[RedSon]

You guys use reference material? I use random keyboard presses until the program works.

[gits]

*lol* ... how do you make them random? :) may be that could be of help to me too :)

[EDIT]just found something useful here :)[/EDIT]

[Markus]

You guys use reference material? I use random keyboard presses until the program works.

Actually, no. I meditate until I reach a state of enlightenment. It is then that I realise there is no spoon, and the program will write itself, given enough time.

[RedSon]

In fact, earlier today I took my freezer magnet and ran it across the ram sticks and across the platters of my disk drive and made a new graphics engine. I'm not quite sure how useful it is, but it does make pretty colors!

[daddyRush]

I try to keep a general idea in mind of what a particular API does. When I think I need it I will find it and look at it in greater detail; sometimes its right other times its not

[kremsoft]

With all of the APIs, methods, etc. How do you remember all of it? Do you write it down? Keep samples? etc.?
Just curious as to how other people do this.

You don't need to remember it word for word and method for method. More and more practice and you'll remember the most common methods but all the others you can just guess. Say you want a data stream.... mmm search data stream and ta da :)

A good editor is the key

Cheers

[Frinavale]

Visual studio helps me a lot :)

Visual Studio has something called "intellisen se" where it'll pop up useful tips on the API. It'll even auto type things for you which makes life easier. It has a feature called "code snippets" that will let you pick from a variety of commonly used code "snippets". Code snippets are under used but can make coding faster and can also teach you things as well!

Most APIs have documentation that goes with it and if you get stuck you can refer to it.

Kremsoft's right though, the more you use something the more familiar you will become with it. The more familiar with an API you are, the less likely you'll be to refer to the documentation on it.

[kremsoft]

Visual studio helps me a lot :)

Visual Studio has something called "intellisen se" where it'll pop up useful tips on the API. It'll even auto type things for you which makes life easier. It has a feature called "code snippets" that will let you pick from a variety of commonly used code "snippets". Code snippets are under used but can make coding faster and can also teach you things as well!

Most APIs have documentation that goes with it and if you get stuck you can refer to it.

Kremsoft's right though, the more you use something the more familiar you will become with it. The more familiar with an API you are, the less likely you'll be to refer to the documentation on it.

Visual Studio great for beginners but you should really use a professionl tool like Eclipse :)

Kremsoft
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[Frinavale]

Haha nice try.

Visual Studio and Eclipse are used for developing completely different applications. Eclipse is use for developing Java applications and Visual Studio is used for developing .NET applications.

They are both used by professional developers every day but for developing systems using different frameworks (I'm considering the Java API to be a Framework here).

-Frinny

[JosAH]

Haha nice try.

Visual Studio and Eclipse are used for developing completely different applications. Eclipse is use for developing Java applications and Visual Studio is used for developing .NET applications.

Eclipse is an IDE "about nothing and about everything"; it is not tied to Java; the JDT (Java Development Toolkit) was the first to be shipped with the core eclipse distribution but there are others; CDT (C Development Toolkit) comes to mind.

kind regards,

Jos

[Frinavale]

Thanks Jos, I didn't know that.

I've only ever used Eclipse for Java development. I think I've touched it maybe twice in my life really.

I wonder if it works with the .NET framework?
I'll have to investigate this! But, using Visual Studio to develop .NET is the .NET industry standard.

-Frinny