I finally got my first Python script to run without errors after 12 attempts

I was stuck for two days trying to write a loop to rename files, and my code kept crashing. I switched from trying to remember everything in my head to writing each step on paper first, and it worked perfectly on the next try. Do you guys make notes before you start coding a new thing?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_blair3mo ago

Wait, you write it all out on paper first? I just start typing and fix it as I go. Doesn't that take way longer?

the_john3mo ago

Fix it as you go" sounds messy though.

abby_chen19d ago

and honestly I used to be in the same boat with you on that, @the_blair. I'd just open a blank doc and start hammering out words, fixing typos on the fly. But then I tried doing it on paper once after hearing @the_john talk about it in another thread, and it kinda clicked for me. The slowness of handwriting forces my brain to actually finish a thought before moving on, you know? It's like I catch plot holes and weird logic jumps before they ever hit the screen. And yeah it feels slower at first, but for me the editing pass is way shorter because the structure is already solid on the page. It's not perfect for everyone, but it definitely changed how I think about the first draft (which is the hardest part for me).