any ideas

gotornot

I previously had a coder work for me now im learning myself the only trouble is some code he did is going wrong and he never made any comments on his work so i cant find out why the error is occuring

Here is the code

	function ad_status($id)
	{
		$id = (int)$id;

	$q = 'SELECT status FROM advert WHERE id = '.$id;
	$this->db->safe_query($q, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__);

	if (!$this->db->num_rows())
	{
		return ADCON_STATUS_ABSENT;
	}

	$status = $this->db->result();

	if ($status == 1)
	{
		return ADCON_STATUS_ACTIVE;
	}

	return ADCON_STATUS_SUSPENDED;
}

This is the error it chucks up:
Call to a member function on a non-object

Can anyone else point me in the right direction?

johanafm

$this->db is supposed to be an object.

$this->db->functionName() is a call to a member function of $this->db's class. But it appears to be something other than an object. Perhaps it hasn't be properly initiated?

BuzzPHP

....only trouble is some code he did is going wrong and he never made any comments on his work so i cant find out why the error is occuring

Ha, I always laugh at comments like that.

First up, the code reads fine. Any decent programer can read this and locate errors. johanafm is right. $this->db hasn't been set to a valid object, but its not this code that is at fault. The error provided by PHP is sufficient to indicate the issue.

Complaining about a coder not "commenting" work is like blaming your electrian, mechanic, or builder for not commenting his work.

The fact is, most IT companies dont get "commented code" for one very simple reason. They dont pay for "commented code".

Commenting code (or documentation) is a task like anything else and takes time.

If you dont pay for it, you dont get it.

Its as simple as that. And its not the job of a skilled worker to educate an employer in the event an employer chooses that they dont want to pay for any more work, and wishes todo the work themselves.

Like, really. Its like asking your doctor to explain how to fix a broken leg, then trying to do the work yourself.

If you want skilled work, you have to pay for it.

Or, you can go buy some stupid "Learn PHP in 30 days" or, "Dummies Guide to PHP" and think you can do the work of someone whos been coding for 20+ years.

Im currently reading "Home Surgery for Dummies". Cool

laserlight

gotornot, just a small request: please post PHP code in [noparse]

[/noparse] bbcode tags.

BuzzPHP wrote:
The fact is, most IT companies dont get "commented code" for one very simple reason. They dont pay for "commented code".

Commenting code (or documentation) is a task like anything else and takes time.

Except where it documents a library interface (possibly with performance/complexity guarantees), I would not pay for comments that describe what the code is doing and how it does it either: if such comments are needed, the code should be refactored. On the other hand, a programmer should recognise that part of his/her job is to comment on why something is done if the reason is not obvious.

BuzzPHP

On the other hand, a programmer should recognise that part of his/her job is to comment on why something is done if the reason is not obvious.

Its funny, I once worked with a guy (whos name I wont mention) who openly admitted (to me) to writing obscure source code in order to secure his role within the company.

I can say the company was Motorola, and I was shocked that so many "head" people were fooled! The minute I read his code I could see what he was doing, hence why I asked him why he did it.

Now, the only question is.... Did the company know? It is a common buisness practice to obsure your work in order to secure future work.

Hence the commonly used phrase "Its a trade secret".

Who knows. Im too honist I think. I just like good code.

laserlight

BuzzPHP wrote:
Its funny, I once worked with a guy (whos name I wont mention) who openly admitted (to me) to writing obscure source code in order to secure his role within the company.

I can say the company was Motorola, and I was shocked that so many "head" people were fooled! The minute I read his code I could see what he was doing, hence why I asked him why he did it.

Now, the only question is.... Did the company know? It is a common buisness practice to obsure your work in order to secure future work.

Heheh, I think that this might have been the topic of a comic strip that I once read (might be Dilbert). Pair programming probably helps, unless the entire team colludes 😃

But perhaps that also indicates that that department in Motorola did not invest in code reviews, or the reviewers were all lazy bums, or they were in collusion with that fellow so that he would gloss over their code when he reviewed for them.