From: "Michael Dinowitz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> I've started to use some variable prefixes in some of my code and was
> wondering what others were using. I'd like to see a few examples before I
> post an article on it. My usage at the moment is limited to complex data
> types:
> aArray
> sStructure
> qQuery
> oObject
> I'm sure a case can be made for something like xWDDX, bBoolean, iInteger,
> nNumber, dDate, tTextString, lList but I'd rather not go that far yet.
> Who's using something like this? Is it helping you in any way? Is it
> hindering you in any way?
>
After too many years of obfuscating my own code with prefix oriented var
naming schemes I've devolved to using two basic rules.
1. Context relative functional naming of variables - code should show meaning,
not
force a reference to a secondary decoding table.
I.E. pingHost_NAME, pingHost_IP, pingHost_lastRTT, etc.
2. Suffixing when 1. produces ambiguity or there is no easy context relative
naming possible.
I.E., getHostsDATA_array, employeeData_STRUCTURE,
doIncludeDateParser_boolean etc.
There isn't any penalty for using long var names. If visibility of logic and job
steps is of a higher priority than simplifying code writing, then using explicit
names is (IMO) better. Prefixing has always seemed to be a feature of top down
imposed shop rules for controlling idiosyncratic programmer-babarbrians.
"Extreme programming" seems to be the latest incarnation of this kind of style.
Besides - something from COBOL should be still useful. :)
Of course, if we were still restrained by hardware issues (ram/storage) and
if assembler and microcode were still the only way to code, then
hyperabbreviated
names would be highly prized - i.e., as much like APL coding as possible. :)
ObOldFartStory:
Once there was a colleague of Pottowatami extraction who used a naming scheme
that always seemed to include referents like
DO scalpem-whiteman
WHILE counting-coup
Pan
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