CodeSOD: The Right Helper

Greg was fighting with an academic CMS, and discovered that a file called write_helper.js was included on every page. It contained this single function:

function document_write(s){ document.write(s);}

Now, setting aside the fact that document.write is one of those "you probably shouldn't use this" functions, and is deprecated, one has to wonder what the point of this function is. Did someone really not like object-oriented style code? Did someone break the "." on their keyboard and just wanted to not have to copy/paste existing "."s?

It's the kind of function you expect to see that someone wrote but that isn't invoked anywhere, and you'd almost be correct. This function, in a file included on every page, is called once and only once.

More like the wrong helper, if we're being honest.

[Advertisement] Picking up NuGet is easy. Getting good at it takes time. Download our guide to learn the best practice of NuGet for the Enterprise.