How to ask better questions

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AceKiron

Member
I often see people asking programming related questions, which is fair, all of the forums I visit are programming related. However, sometimes people ask vague questions, here's an example based on an actual question I got asked today:
Hey, could someone tell me how I can make a background scale with, lets say the engine (putting it on half screen). It just stays the same, and looks garbage.
So I decided to give some tips on how to ask better questions.



Doing research
Before asking for help, you should know how to describe the issue you're having. If you get error messages, read them, even if you don’t understand exactly what it means. Chances are someone else has had the same question as you do, and that they asked that same question before. If you have an error message, Google the exact message, otherwise just describe the problem you’re having and search.

If you’re having problems with a specific project hosted on Github, checking out their issues page may help. Developers frequently use Github issues as a way to log known problems, or speak to the people using their project.

If nobody’s posted an error message like yours, chances are that you’ve made some basic mistake (we all do it). Step through your code one last time, maybe reading everything out loud, just to make sure you’ve got everything right.

If solutions aren’t working, keep track of what you’ve tried, as well as what happened when you tried them.

It is also important to read the rules before posting your question, I myself may or may not be quilty of not doing this on a lot of forums.


Asking the question
When asking your question, be specific. This means your post should include at least the following:
  • The tools you’re using, including version numbers and your operating system version.
  • What you’re trying to accomplish – what did you expect to happen if everything had worked?
  • What actually happened?
  • The code you’re using (or just the relevant parts)
  • Any error messages you got
  • What you’ve tried already

Repeat
When people start responding with solutions, try them. If the proposed solution did not work, do not respond simply with “That didn’t work.”, but instead:
  • What your updated code looks like
  • Any new error messages
  • Anything else you were inspired to try since you posted your question
  • If you updated any tools or your operating system, also their version numbers.

Document and share
Be sure to pay it forward. When you’ve worked your issue through, document and share everything -- your problem, the things that you tried, and the solution that worked. One day, somebody with the same problem you had will be helped enormously by this.

- Source: https://www.propublica.org/nerds/how-to-ask-programming-questions
 
Last edited:

woods

Member
it didnt work ;/

edit:
in all seriousness having some kind of consistent format to describe your issue will definitely get you alot farther than a simple "need help..doesnt work"

it makes it alot easier for those with more knowledge to be ABLE to help you, if they know whatthehell you are trying to do ;o)
 
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