Re^2: Parse PHP or Perl and Reconstruct MySQL Schema

[dimar]

Your approach seems so thorough that it makes me wonder how you handle the inevitable "Situation Theta" when it happens.

(where "Situation Theta" is defined as the set of all 'features' in the code introduced for reasons unknown, even to the original developer(s) at the time of introduction, but left in place anyway, for whatever reason, or no reason at all)

Get enough "Thetas" and you may wind up 'rewriting' features that were never really implemented to begin with. I hope *you* got the credit for those. ;)

[UnderMine]

I currently have a similar situation in respect to transfering an application from one server to another. The client says X doesn't work and we go back to the old server and lo and behold X never worked.

Now your account handlers have to earn their money by explaining X never worked. Even more fun when the client has already paid for X and been told it was working.

Transfer of applications from one company to another or one group of developers to another is never fun.

UnderMine

[roboticus]

dimar:

I've never heard it called "Situation Theta" before, but I like the name. Unfortunately, I don't have a strategy for detecting those. So currently, I just waste my time trying to get the code path(s) executed and corrected, only to be told by the client that "Oh...that feature never worked, and we don't really need it anyway.". <sigh...>

If you're a nine-to-fiver, it's a real bummer. If you're a contractor, at least they get to pay for the time!

--roboticus