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Chris Maunder wrote: Has anyone ever heard of a system or language or framework that provides the means to have code self-destruct after a certain date? Does this even make sense? Am I few coffees short of a barista today?
Kindof. I always try to write very modular reusable components. For example I have a module that manages language resources in the database. I don't want to deal with that every time I start a new project. On the code side I have modules for the presentation tier, application logic, services, data access and entities. I only need to include these libraries and everything is ready - except the database. I do not have code to handle migrations, but when I run my project that now includes this module, it takes the database context and sets up the required tables if they are not there yet.
But speaking of migrations: How about Entity Framework code first?
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
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Skynet  .
Jokes apart, I do not think there exists a framework/suit intelligent enough to "fix" itself like that. But AI is progressing fast, soon you may get what you want. Or maybe they'll take over our jobs.
Are you afraid? 
I am not the one who knocks. I never knock.
In fact, I hate knocking.
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I'm addressing only the "self-destructing" code part.
I use a plugin system with my code so that plugins can implement features undreamed of when the original code was deployed. You just drop the plugin dll into the appropriate folder. I can envisage a system that would simply unload the plugin when it's no longer needed and delete the dll. The original code (once it supports the plugin system) doesn't need to change at all.
Phil
The opinions expressed in this post are not necessarily those of the author, especially if you find them impolite, inaccurate or inflammatory.
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Chris Maunder wrote: Has anyone ever heard of a system or language or framework that provides the means to have code self-destruct after a certain date?
It's called Windows Update. 
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If the intent is just to make sure the temp code is removed from your code base after it's done its job you could just put something in the codebase to trigger a build error in debug after enough time's past that you think it should be done to remind you to remove it. I've found a kludge[^] that is supposed to work like a C++ static assert. Wrap it in an #if DEBUG and you should be good to go.
public void TempCodeExpiredAssert(DateTime expirationDate)
{
#if DEBUG
byte a = DateTime.Now > expirationDate ? 0 : -1;
#endif
}
PS, code is totally untested to avoid the no programming questions in the lounge rule.
PPS I reported the bug generating all the whitespace above my rolling eyes something like a year ago.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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Bug fixed. Sorry that took so long.
cheers
Chris Maunder
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Chris Maunder wrote: Bug fixed. Sorry that took so long.
I figured that'd work, just had been waiting for the right opportunity for a few months.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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We setup a sort of versioning table that our migration scripts would run and add to at a previous work place. We had code to run the migrations in order, and only once. So we could easily run the deploy scripts against the database in any state along the way and be safe/confident.
Elephant elephant elephant, sunshine sunshine sunshine
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We do exactly the same thing.
That example was merely an example. I'm looking more towards code that actively changes itself.
cheers
Chris Maunder
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We have views and stored procedures between the data and the applications. If I need to migrate a column to a different name or size, I
1. add the new column,
2. add code to the create and update procedures to update the new column as well as the old,
3. manually copy the old data to the new data,
4. change the views to use the new column (if adding new functionality rather than migrating, use ISNULL() as needed),
5. make new versions of the procedures (I add a number to the name for that purpose) to use the new column,
6. change the application in development and testing to use the new procedures,
7. deploy the new version of the application.
Later, after the data and application have been backed up or updated several times, I can delete the old versions of the procedures.
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Add a "date >= ??? or" or "negation and" statement to your if statement so that it automatically gets or doesn't get called after a certain date.
Another option for enabling is if you can send a cleaner code to remove the if/then statement by converting it to whitespace and leaving the braces as is. Then the code will get called thereafter.
GoTo statement? 
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I'm thinking I'll just ditch if/then/while and for statements altogether and use goto.
cheers
Chris Maunder
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Chris Maunder wrote: Has anyone ever heard of a system or language or framework that provides the means to have code self-destruct after a certain date?
Haven't heard of it. I wouldn't use it.
I version the database. Each instance has a version number table which includes at least the version number and a timestamp. The application knows what version(s) it will deal with and will refuse to run (exit) if the version is not allowed.
Separate process updates the database, when completed it updates the version table.
Each version consists of one or more updates that are blocked together. That means that every so often one can just delete the oldest blocks (say 6 months ago) so that they no longer run. Presumption is that there are no older databases at that point (if selling a product then the updated product would include the old install and thus the update.) Naturally it is under version control so it is always retrievable.
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Sounds like you want self morphing code, similar to Self-Morphing C# Binary - bytecode77
As also recommended, I've seen devs load branches of code / assemblies based on version in a database/configuration file.
So
version 1 load mydatabasetier.v1.dll
version 2 load mydatabasetier.v2.dll
Seems like a lot of extra overhead.
Common sense is admitting there is cause and effect and that you can exert some control over what you understand.
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Very cool, but it's changing the compiled code, not the actual source code.
But very cool even so
cheers
Chris Maunder
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(Stolen from twitter)
Interviewer: What would you say is your biggest strength?
Me: I perform under pressure.
Interviewer: Can you give me an example?
Me:
*deep breath*
Mm ba ba de
Um bum ba de
Um bu bu bum da de
PRESSURE, pushing down on me...
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This is the Queen of bad jokes.
* CALL APOGEE, SAY AARDWOLF
* GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
* Never pay more than 20 bucks for a computer game.
* I'm a puny punmaker.
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Lord please have Mercury on me
... such stuff as dreams are made on
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another pointless thread; I want to break free
Installing Signature...
Do not switch off your computer.
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I suggest you go to Barcelona.
... such stuff as dreams are made on
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I had one vision, a flash, and then a breakthru: if you don't stop me now, friends will be friends. After all it's a beautiful day, living on my own... I want it all to be remember fondly, after all those are the days of our lives.
* CALL APOGEE, SAY AARDWOLF
* GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
* Never pay more than 20 bucks for a computer game.
* I'm a puny punmaker.
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Ok, we will do as if we had never read it. After all, the show must go on.
* goes ride his bicycle *
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