The Code Project - ToDoList Add-on

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ToDoList Add-on
By Alex Kucherenko

This is add-on for Visual C++ that lists comments in source files such as TODO:, TASK:, NOTE: etc and makes it easy to navigate to them.

	VC 4-6, Win95-98, NT4, W2K, STL
	Posted 15 May 2001
	Updated 12 Jun 2001
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Sample Image - OptionDialog.jpg

Introduction

This add-in allows you to quickly find all occurrences of keywords such as TODO, NOTE, BUG etc in your source files.

As you know Microsoft wizards in Visual C++ add some useful comments into the code generated. For example:

#if !defined(AFX_STDAFX_H__538F0446_5CAB_4A15_B17C_C14CCC57E3F4__INCLUDED_)
#define AFX_STDAFX_H__538F0446_5CAB_4A15_B17C_C14CCC57E3F4__INCLUDED_

#if _MSC_VER > 1000
#pragma once
#endif // _MSC_VER > 1000

// TODO: reference additional headers your program requires here

//{{AFX_INSERT_LOCATION}}

#endif // !defined(AFX_STDAFX_H__538F0446_5CAB_4A15_B17C_C14CCC57E3F4__INCLUDED_)

In the code you can see the comment which starts with the keyword "TODO:". In source you can find many such comments, which starts with keywords like NOTE, TODO, BUG etc.

When you run the add-in you see the locations of all such keywords as follows:

Results of work

It's a pity, but many programmers ignore such comments. The first I saw the use of these comments was when I was using Borland C++ Builder (C++ Builder has an integrated feature which finds such comments in the project sources). After a little time I find that such comments can help in the organization of the project's source for a team of developers.

For instance, one programmer can simply add such a comment into the code and another programmer can easily find what to do or to fix in code. All tasks can be easily added into the source and we have no need of team organization applications.

An example of such is:

One programmer (leader programmer) creates the structure of a project (functions with no code, only with comments.) Another programmer (developer) looks at the code and adds implementation for each function. The tester add comments like "// BUG:" or "// NOTE:" and on it goes.

So you can see how such comments can simplify working as a team.

Setting the location of the Log files

The Logger subsystem uses the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\AlexKucherenko\TODOList Add-in\Debug\LogInWindow

A string value. The value must be a number writen in literals {0-9}. Value == 0 means the logger subsystem does not use the window and logs all messages into a file. If the value > 0 then the Logger subsystem creates a winodw (one for each instace of the add-on), where it will store all messages from the add-on. The LogInWindow key has higher priority than LogToFile (below).

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\AlexKucherenko\TODOList Add-in\Debug\LogToFile

A string value. The value must be a full path to the file in which you want to store log messages. This part of the logger subsystem is multithread safe and many instances of the add-on can write mmesages into the file at the same time.

If you don't want to use logging subsystem simply delete the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\AlexKucherenko\TODOList Add-in\Debug sub key from the registry.

Registry file example:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\AlexKucherenko\TODOList Add-in\Debug]
"LogInWindow"="1"
"LogToFile"="c:\\todoList.log"

About Alex Kucherenko

Name: Kucherenko Alexander
Born: September 20, 1979
Platforms: Win32; OS/2; Linux;
Hardware: IBM PC
Programming Languages: Assembler (for Intel 80386); Borland C/C++; Borland Pascal; Object Pascal; Borland C++Builder; Delphi; Perl; Java; Visual C++; Visual J++; UML;
Development Environments: MS Visual C++; Borland Delphi; Borland C++Builder; C/C++ any; Rational Rose; GDPro;
Libraries: STL, ATL, VCL, MFC, NuMega DriverWorks;
Technologies: Client/Server; COM; DirectX; DirectX Media; BDE; HTML/DHTML; ActiveX; Java Servlets; CORBA; DCOM; COM+;
Application Skills: Database; GUI Design; System Programming, Security Utilities; Software Developer, Service developer.

Take leader/developer in such projects:
ComPro - Multimedia data transfare throw internet using DirectShow and Java. (Movie and sound)

ASN, H323- language encoder/decoder library ( packet part - according to standard ITU-T X.691 ), used in fax data transfare process throw internet.

MagiCodec - driveres for encoding/decoding hardware, which produce MPEG4 data.

ToDoList - For my soul. Not comercial project.

ProjectTasker - ICQ clone for team of developers. Features: bug tracking system, team/project organization, todo list (project leader can add task to team members) etc. In progress.

Click here to visit Alex Kucherenko's homepage.

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