Comments on: Tools of the Trade – Part Two: Reflector http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/tools-of-the-trade-part-two-reflector/ My game, XNA, game development, and the games industry Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:04:39 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: mgriffie http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/tools-of-the-trade-part-two-reflector/#comment-368 mgriffie Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:56:35 +0000 http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/?p=66#comment-368 @Kolo: Thanks for that. I was having the same issue and I couldn't figure it out -- it made no sense that I couldn't reflect into the XNA library! I've been searching for almost half an hour trying to figure it out. What a stupid thing to overlook, haha. Thanks again! @Kolo:
Thanks for that. I was having the same issue and I couldn’t figure it out — it made no sense that I couldn’t reflect into the XNA library! I’ve been searching for almost half an hour trying to figure it out. What a stupid thing to overlook, haha. Thanks again!

]]> By: Garbage, Part Two (Director’s Cut): oh, alright then « Pandemonium http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/tools-of-the-trade-part-two-reflector/#comment-205 Garbage, Part Two (Director’s Cut): oh, alright then « Pandemonium Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:27:39 +0000 http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/?p=66#comment-205 [...] instead - though you can still get caught out if you’re not careful, as my previous post on Reflector [...] [...] instead – though you can still get caught out if you’re not careful, as my previous post on Reflector [...]

]]> By: Kolo Rahl http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/tools-of-the-trade-part-two-reflector/#comment-113 Kolo Rahl Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:28:19 +0000 http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/?p=66#comment-113 Aha, got it working! It's definitely interesting to see (approximately) how the system and XNA libraries you're using solve some of their problems, like intersections of 3D objects, etc. Also just kind of fun for the game-programming geek/aficionado. oh, and as for the problem: you can't take a peek at the Xbox 360 DLLs. I was getting the various .NET libraries fine, etc, but any of the Xbox XNA DLLs wouldn't disassemble properly. I'm now just taking a peek into the Windows version of XNA. Still very useful and informative stuff. Thanks for pointing out all these interesting and productive tools! Aha, got it working! It’s definitely interesting to see (approximately) how the system and XNA libraries you’re using solve some of their problems, like intersections of 3D objects, etc. Also just kind of fun for the game-programming geek/aficionado. oh, and as for the problem: you can’t take a peek at the Xbox 360 DLLs. I was getting the various .NET libraries fine, etc, but any of the Xbox XNA DLLs wouldn’t disassemble properly. I’m now just taking a peek into the Windows version of XNA. Still very useful and informative stuff. Thanks for pointing out all these interesting and productive tools!

]]> By: bittermanandy http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/tools-of-the-trade-part-two-reflector/#comment-111 bittermanandy Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:09:23 +0000 http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/?p=66#comment-111 Well, granted it's not something I use daily or anything. But there are times, like the one I described, where it is invaluable. It's also helpful for understanding where garbage is getting produced, it's a good resource for beginners in particular to see some "real" code (algorithmically anyway - it's not the actual code as was written), and sometimes it's just interesting to see how particular problems were solved. Well, granted it’s not something I use daily or anything. But there are times, like the one I described, where it is invaluable. It’s also helpful for understanding where garbage is getting produced, it’s a good resource for beginners in particular to see some “real” code (algorithmically anyway – it’s not the actual code as was written), and sometimes it’s just interesting to see how particular problems were solved.

]]> By: Antony Kancidrowski http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/tools-of-the-trade-part-two-reflector/#comment-109 Antony Kancidrowski Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:30:41 +0000 http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/?p=66#comment-109 Um, Yes I have heard a lot about Reflector and for what it does I'm sure it does it extremely well. I've just not needed to peek into any assemblies that I do not "own" thus far in my C# coding experience. Somehow, after saying that, I feel that I am missing out on something. Perhaps it is time to pry!? Um, Yes I have heard a lot about Reflector and for what it does I’m sure it does it extremely well. I’ve just not needed to peek into any assemblies that I do not “own” thus far in my C# coding experience.

Somehow, after saying that, I feel that I am missing out on something. Perhaps it is time to pry!?

]]> By: bittermanandy http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/tools-of-the-trade-part-two-reflector/#comment-108 bittermanandy Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:25:54 +0000 http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/?p=66#comment-108 Oh - I nearly forgot to mention. Since spending hours trying to figure out how to write my own FxCop rules, I found a site that explains everything much more clearly than the sites I linked to above, and which would have made everything much easier if I'd found it earlier, at http://www.binarycoder.net/fxcop/html/index.html. It's still not for the faint-hearted, and I reckon most people would be better off spending their time actually making games (just sticking to the basic FxCop rules), but if you can justify the time and effort (pro studios probably could for example) or just fancy having a go, that site is the best resource I've found. Oh – I nearly forgot to mention. Since spending hours trying to figure out how to write my own FxCop rules, I found a site that explains everything much more clearly than the sites I linked to above, and which would have made everything much easier if I’d found it earlier, at http://www.binarycoder.net/fxcop/html/index.html. It’s still not for the faint-hearted, and I reckon most people would be better off spending their time actually making games (just sticking to the basic FxCop rules), but if you can justify the time and effort (pro studios probably could for example) or just fancy having a go, that site is the best resource I’ve found.

]]> By: bittermanandy http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/tools-of-the-trade-part-two-reflector/#comment-107 bittermanandy Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:13:50 +0000 http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/?p=66#comment-107 I've not seen that myself, but with all of these tools it's worth double checking that you're running it with Administrator permissions. (That is, either with an Administrator account, or right-clicking and selecting "Run as Administrator"). Otherwise... I guess you should check that it's the latest version, that you have the latest version of the .NET runtime, that you have the latest Windows service packs and updates... if it still doesn't work I'm afraid I can't help, sorry. Quite right that FxCop and Reflector are both great tools though. There are others for XNA and .NET, which I'll be covering soon hopefully. I’ve not seen that myself, but with all of these tools it’s worth double checking that you’re running it with Administrator permissions. (That is, either with an Administrator account, or right-clicking and selecting “Run as Administrator”).

Otherwise… I guess you should check that it’s the latest version, that you have the latest version of the .NET runtime, that you have the latest Windows service packs and updates… if it still doesn’t work I’m afraid I can’t help, sorry.

Quite right that FxCop and Reflector are both great tools though. There are others for XNA and .NET, which I’ll be covering soon hopefully.

]]> By: Kolo Rahl http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/tools-of-the-trade-part-two-reflector/#comment-106 Kolo Rahl Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:43:18 +0000 http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/?p=66#comment-106 Hey, FxCop from your last post was a great tool, and this one looks just as good. I was astounded to see all the errors and warnings FxCop was throwing me after I ran it the first time, but it definitely improves code. And the ability to disable certain rules as well as add in your own makes it an amazing flexible and powerful tool that I don't think I'll ever program without. However, with the Reflector I'm just not getting it to work for me. The Disassembler shows nothing actually disassembled. ie, if I go to a method it simply shows the method signature and open and close curly braces below it: no code. Imagine if you took that BoundingBox sample screen shot but removed the actual method code it displays and you'll have what I'm getting. Anyone encounter this problem before. I tried searching for help topics on this but can't find any. Hey, FxCop from your last post was a great tool, and this one looks just as good. I was astounded to see all the errors and warnings FxCop was throwing me after I ran it the first time, but it definitely improves code. And the ability to disable certain rules as well as add in your own makes it an amazing flexible and powerful tool that I don’t think I’ll ever program without.

However, with the Reflector I’m just not getting it to work for me. The Disassembler shows nothing actually disassembled. ie, if I go to a method it simply shows the method signature and open and close curly braces below it: no code. Imagine if you took that BoundingBox sample screen shot but removed the actual method code it displays and you’ll have what I’m getting. Anyone encounter this problem before. I tried searching for help topics on this but can’t find any.

]]> By: Luke http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/tools-of-the-trade-part-two-reflector/#comment-105 Luke Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:22:04 +0000 http://bittermanandy.wordpress.com/?p=66#comment-105 Yep, this is definitely one of the greatest .NET tools. I can't imagine coding without Reflector since I discovered it. It would be really great if Microsoft included its functionality into Visual Studio, so for example when you clicked "Go To Definition" it would also allow you to view code. Yep, this is definitely one of the greatest .NET tools. I can’t imagine coding without Reflector since I discovered it. It would be really great if Microsoft included its functionality into Visual Studio, so for example when you clicked “Go To Definition” it would also allow you to view code.

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