OT: Posting code to newsgroup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Michael Bray
  • Start date Start date
M

Michael Bray

It's generally simpler if you just include the code inline, having done
any appropriate wrapping to make the lines less than 80 characters.
It's much easier to see what's going on that way, IMO.
Click to expand...

Really? When I read my own posting, my newsreader (XNews) actually
displayed the contents of the attached file as if it *was* included inline.
Makes it very easy to see.

I think its the tabs that kill me... When I cut/paste from VS to XNews
posting, those tabs really indent way further than they need to. I don't
think XNews has an option to fix that.

I guess I'll just try to post inline most of the time, and maybe
occasionally post an attachment if necessary. Its not like I post a lot of
code anyway.

-mdb
 
A lot of folks are now using either Google News or the dedicated msdn
online newsgroups web application, which makes it even more important
to consider posting code samples "inline" in the message body.
Click to expand...

Can they not access attachments?

-mdb
 
Pretty sure that google news strips them out. Can't say for sure about
the MSDN newsgroup web app. Maybe somebody else can verify
Click to expand...

Actually I just checked, and it looks like Google not only strips the
attachment - it strips the entire message!!! That is, I couldn't find the
message with the attachment at all in Google. I found the entire thread,
but my message wasn't included. I even found Jon's reply to the message.

That really blows.

-mdb
 
Michael Bray said:
Really? When I read my own posting, my newsreader (XNews) actually
displayed the contents of the attached file as if it *was* included inline.
Makes it very easy to see.
Click to expand...

I have to explicitly decode it in my newsreader. Not hugely difficult,
but harder than if it's inline - especially if I then want to reply and
include bits of it for the reply.
I think its the tabs that kill me... When I cut/paste from VS to XNews
posting, those tabs really indent way further than they need to. I don't
think XNews has an option to fix that.
Click to expand...

You might find that my code formatter helps with that:
http://aspspider.net/jskeet/CodeFormatter.aspx

It'll also "unindent" for you if you're only posting a method, for
instance.
I guess I'll just try to post inline most of the time, and maybe
occasionally post an attachment if necessary. Its not like I post a lot of
code anyway.
Click to expand...

Sure. Of course, if it's a binary file, posting it as an attachment is
the only option, really.
 
Michael Bray said:
I think its the tabs that kill me... When I cut/paste from VS to
XNews posting, those tabs really indent way further than they need
to. I don't think XNews has an option to fix that.
Click to expand...

You could always use the "insert spaces" option in Visual Studio. It makes
cutting/pasting into other apps easier (unless you really need the tab
character itself which is rarely the case for me).
 
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