Did you ever get stuck in a project?

I am curious and need to ask you seasoned VBA veterans about losing yourselves in your code. I have been working on a project that has been growing in user requirements with each iteration. I now find myself losing myself in the code because (I think) I am still relatively new to all of this. Has this ever happened to any of you when you were first breaking out on the scene? For the most part, I comment my code so that I can go back on it and know instantly what is happening. However, when I work on the project lately I feel disconnected from it and have been losing my will to keep going on it, especially while finding and fixing errors. More often than not (recently), I'll just stare at my code and go into a complete daze. If this has happened to you, what did you do to get past it? Naturally, plan b is to keep on givener (thanks FUBAR) and I am but my will to proceed is not so adamant in this regard.

I should note that here at work, I am completely by myself when it comes to coding know-how and (fortunately for me) I have this forum. However, since I don't have anyone to lean on regarding data analysis, coupled with the fact that I am new(ish), I find it can be easy to be overwhelmed by projects.

Plan B!

Funny... I am in exactly the same position right now. I am working on one of those "projects"

Although I don't post VBA solutions here, I tend to use it a lot at work for these "projects". I too am the only advanced Excel guy here.

And same too for me, it just keeps growing. Just when you think, "wow, this looks real nice, I'm sure the requester will love this"... then he turns to you and says, "this is cool, but maybe we can add functionality to do this next thing...."!

I try mostly to do the hard tasks with formulas (for example copying rows conditionally to other sheets, I will use helper columns, etc to get the info)..... and only try to use VBA for the database querying and formatting, etc... I try not to rely solely on VBA to do the work. When I get stuck on VBA I try to search for solutions rather than post questions and usually I find some clues and can adapt it.... I only post questions if I am really stuck and can't find similar topics anywhere or don't understand something...

... but in the end, I actually enjoy the Excel stuff I do much more than what I really supposed to be doing here...

Maybe it's time to revisit the whole design from the top down.

Incremental requirements can get increasingly hard to accommodate when they conflict with the design created from the initial requirements.

Originally Posted by NBVC

... but in the end, I actually enjoy the Excel stuff I do much more than what I really supposed to be doing here...

I thoroughly enjoy the Excel stuff too and would not entertain doing anything else. Mayhap I just need a good night's sleep! Oh wait, I have uni projects too. Oh well, I'll sleep when I'm dead I guess

Originally Posted by shg

Maybe it's time to revisit the whole design from the top down.

Incremental requirements can get increasingly hard to accommodate when they conflict with the design created from the initial requirements.

I have taken that thought into serious account but I am dismayed by the scope of the project to start it all over.

I'll tell you one thing that is for certain, if I didn't have this forum to frequent you pros to help with problems, I would be like a lost puppy searching for but never finding my tail.

Originally Posted by shg

Maybe it's time to revisit the whole design from the top down.

Incremental requirements can get increasingly hard to accommodate when they conflict with the design created from the initial requirements.

That's true.. unfortunately, I hate starting over something I've already put alot of work into.... and a lot of times, the requests for changes or additions come in weeks or months apart.... and to start over then would kill me!

One way to try to combat this is to break your code down into smaller subs and functions. It does take longer to write and can be a challenge to organize, but maintenance should (in theory) be more manageable. I think this is one of the advantages of OOP; consider each component a "black box". If someone requests a change you should (again, in theory) only have to go and alter the "guts" in one component.

Likewise if you need to consider an entire-project redesign, you can often reuse some or most of your components.

It's also a good idea to state in the vernacular what the sub does. My code often looks like this:

Public Sub Dave()
'The purpose of this method is to blah, blah, blah.
...
End Sub


In the end, some days (when you have the option) it's good just to take a break from programming. Find some other task at work that needs to be done, and let your mind rest a while.

Originally Posted by shg

Maybe it's time to revisit the whole design from the top down.

Incremental requirements can get increasingly hard to accommodate when they conflict with the design created from the initial requirements.

Originally Posted by Mordred

I have taken that thought into serious account but I am dismayed by the scope of the project to start it all over.

In my experience, the second iteration will take a fraction of the time and be much more robust.

All those saddlebags in your code (the If paragraphs added to cater to new requirements) will disappear in favor of a more cohesive, flexible design.

Originally Posted by NBVC

... but in the end, I actually enjoy the Excel stuff I do much more than what I really supposed to be doing here...

Quoted for Truth! *Sheepishly gets back to doing actual work*

Fortunately (for me or the boss?) I have no boss otter than myself, who can be very 'bossy' and not easily to satisfy.
Most of the time I consider every new requirement as an indication of the involvement/engagement to the project. If it's only me that has to invent improvements/additions/requirements, there's a risk my 'solutions' won't be accepted. It also indicates they are critically thinking about the job they have and the work they are performing: why do we do that, is it really necessary, can't that be done simpler/easier (by a oneliner for instance ). It's nice to see people glow if you implement their ideas into your system.

Originally Posted by Edward V. Berard

"Walking on water and developing software from a specification are easy -- if both are frozen."

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