OpenEuphoria

RE: namespace coflicts: local vs private symbols

• Posted by Al Getz <Xaxo at aol.com> Feb 09, 2003
• 406 views

Derek Parnell wrote:

> 
> I kinda do this renaming as a naming convention of mine.
> ... Variables scoped to a routine begin with 'l'  (local)
> ... Variables scoped to the file begin with 'v'   (variable)
> ... Varaibles scoped to global begin with 'g' (global)
> 
> I've been using this convention for about 15 years with some success.
> Thus I'd code...
> 
>   sequence vx
>   vx = {0,0,0,0}
>   
>   function Get_x()
>     return vx
>   end function
>   
>   procedure p ()
>   sequence lx
>   lx = Get_x() + 1
>   ? lx
>   end procedure
>   ? vx
>   p ()
>   ? vx
>   
> 

That's a pretty good idea.

I started doing some of the global vars Global_VarName
myself, and although it takes a bit longer to type
"Global" with the "_" too it sure does clarify a program
when you go to read it over again a year or two later 
so i know what you are talking about there.

My biggest problems with variable naming conventions comes in
with some seemingly simple tasks:
sequence 
  FileName or Filename, or even filename ?

I always want to type Filename, when FileName is probably most
appropriate.

I tryed once to reserve the first letter as upper case 
to indicate a sequence (and lower case to indicate an atom
or integer) but it's just too hard to do that when other
naming priorities come up.

I usually reserve the underscore "_" for more important things
especially things like buttons, windows, edit controls, etc. :
atom
Button_LoadFile, 
Window_MainWin,
Edit_Amount, Edit_Balance,
etc.

Although it does take longer to type the full name
like "Button_" it always tells me immediately what
kind of thing im accessing.
I've stuck with this even when im in a hurry because it's just
too handy when you go to read the code over several years later.

I do like the (rather) new naming convention for include files,
such as 
include myclass.ew as ClassOne

This is going to be MOST beneficial to most of the programming i 
do in the future with Euphoria, especially with 'plug in' type
files.
The only thing i have to get used to is that the 'as' name isnt 
visible to any other file, it's only visible to the file
it's declared in.  I guess this is a good thing though, because
it allows one to restrict the visibility much better, rather then 
be stuck with having the names automatically visible throughout the
whole program.  It's only a little inconvenience to have to include
them in all the other files in case you do want to use them there 
also.
Would be interesting to have a 'global include x as y' i guess.
When you want to give a second party access to your 'class'
this would make it much easier for them.

Take care,
Al