Data ScienceWeb Development

Changing Code

When I change given code, but it wasn't recommended

In the past week I've changed the given code to something different but similar. The code I was changing was from OO Programming (post). Even though I have already done it in the week prior, only in the last week it was submitted, but my teacher didn't like that I changed it, so I showed him the changes. This luckily worked and he told me what I should do when/if I do it again. He said that I need to clearly state the changes but also if can be avoided don't change.

The code below was the original way it was meant to work. This way (the Connector()) was meant to combat recursion but I didn't understand the way it worked well.

   power = Power("Power")
   switch = Switch("Switch")

   and1 = AndGate("and1")
   and2 = AndGate("and2")
   and3 = AndGate("and3")
   not1 = NotGate("not1")
   not2 = NotGate("not1")

   jk1 = JKFlipFlop("jk1")
   jk2 = JKFlipFlop("jk2")

   # The power connecting to the switch (top-left)
   a= Connector(power, switch)
   # The top-left `and1` connecting switch and jk2
   b=Connector(switch, and1)
   c=Connector(jk2, and1)
   # The top-right `not1` connecting switch
   d=Connector(switch, not1)
   # The top-right `and1` and `not1` connecting to jk1
   e=Connector(not1, jk1)
   f=Connector(and1, jk1)
   # The bottom-left `and2` connecting switch and jk1
   h=Connector(switch, and2)
   i=Connector(switch, jk1)
   # The `and2` and power connecting to jk2
   j=Connector(and2, jk2)
   k=Connector(power, jk2)
   # The `not2` and power connecting to jk1
   l=Connector(not2, jk1)
   # The right `and3` connecting from jk1 and jk2
   m=Connector(and3, not2)
   n=Connector(and3, jk2)

    # USE BY:
    and3.performGateLogic()
    print(and3.getOutput())

So since I decided that was to confusing for me, I changed it to this way. This way makes more sense to me, and I can understand it better. But the only issue is I had to make new functions for the flip-flop to get around the recursion. Some of the changes are in the classes though, but the code below shows an overview of the changes.

    switch = SWITCH(AlwaysON(), True)
    ffaand = ANDGate(switch, JKFlipFlopReceiver(1))
    ffa = JKFlipFlop(ffaand, NOTGate(switch), 0)
    ffa.set_latch(False)

    ffband = ANDGate(switch, NOTGate(JKFlipFlopReceiver(0)))
    ffb = JKFlipFlop(ffband, AlwaysON(), 1)
    ffb.set_latch(False)

    yand = ANDGate(NOTGate(ffa), ffb)

    y = PRINTER(yand)

     # USE BY:
     print(y.execute())

To prevent issues and implement what my teacher said, I've added the following to the top of document.

"""
Changes to the original code:
 * Removed connectors and replaced them with passing the inputs into the class instead (implicit connection)
 * Changed some of the wording of functions - separated some `performGateLogic()` into `calculate()`
 * ... (more)
"""

I have now learned that changing code that was given is not the best idea. I will try to not change much fundamental things, but if I have changed anything, something will be said at the top of the document. I found that by changing the code to something I understood better, the original code actually made more sense than before. That means that from now on, if I have issues with code I can change it to something understandable to understand, but then change it back to the original code.