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When new users come to the site I often see questions that are just a raw code dump with a question along the lines of "Please help make this work" or "What am I doing wrong". Little effort is given to narrow the question down to the specific issue they're looking for and it doesn't appear they've made much if any effort to research a potential solution before coming to the site.

For Example Please make changes to this two date fields as compatible to fit SOQL query and to run the script. I have tried but thats not working

I've looked around the FAQ, but didn't see anything that would be helpful in guiding these posters on how to improve their questions. Any tips for how to instruct users on how to improve these types of posts?

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I agree with crmprogdev's comment; it would be nice to have some copy-n-pastable text that we all agree is appropriate for users who are asking for their homework to be done. Something like

Hi (username), welcome to SFSE! Your question has been closed because it is asking for other people to write code for you, without presenting a real question or issue. SFSE is a Q&A forum where we look to help each other by asking and answering questions that are real problems or errors. Posting requests to write code for you will get closed. If you need assistance learning the Salesforce technical environment, refer to (some link with good training resources).

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    Can we get this explanation added to the FAQ?
    – Mike Chale
    Commented Apr 29, 2013 at 11:40
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general rule is to close these as too localized.

Especially thie user, who's this is his 3rd question of the same type.

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  • I'm with you, but I was hoping we might also be able to at provide a list of "How to make your question not so localized" tips, so at least they have the opportunity to improve in future postings
    – Ralph Callaway
    Commented Apr 25, 2013 at 1:02
  • I generally leave a comment to say that it risks being closed and that they need to say where they think the problem is and what they've tried to do to fix it.
    – Matt Lacey Mod
    Commented Apr 25, 2013 at 6:36
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    Often, it would be nice to find a way to tell them "Learn to search with Google; it can be your best friend" with these kinds of problems. Not to mention having a polite way to say "RTFM"! Its incredibly annoying to suggest to someone that they really need to look at a particular workbook; one which you've given them the link to and told them which chapter/tutorial would help them, to then have them reply that they don't have the time!!! "Too localized" is far too neutral for people of that sort to understand what you're really telling them.
    – crmprogdev
    Commented Apr 25, 2013 at 20:37
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    @crmprogdev people who post homework - will NOT google if you tell them to RTFM - else they would have not had anything to post ^^
    – Saariko Mod
    Commented Apr 25, 2013 at 20:56
  • @Saariko LOL! A very logical and excellent point! ;)
    – crmprogdev
    Commented Apr 26, 2013 at 2:45
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    @Saariko I get where you're coming from, just feel that this is a very common post type for a new user and we could do a lot more to train them (rather than just closing it). Currently the FAQ just links back to itself in it's suggestions for what "too localized" mean without giving much in the way of suggestions to the poster
    – Ralph Callaway
    Commented Apr 28, 2013 at 20:14
  • @Ralph I totally agree - but training them will fix their subsequent questions, not the please-do-my-chores-for-me. Mistakes happen, and we can always reopen edited q's.
    – Saariko Mod
    Commented Apr 29, 2013 at 4:07

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