> I was noticing while creating the Fl_Tree API I had some second thoughts > about function naming. > > Things like: open() / close() / select() / deselect() all seem obvious enough, > but when testing to see if something is selected, seemed one could go > either present or past tense: > > is_open() vs. is_opened() > is_close() vs. is_closed() > is_select() vs. is_selected() > [..]
In the examples, "opened" isn't just the past tense of the verb "open," it's also an adjectival form of that verb. "Open" is itself an adjective as well as a verb, and the meanings of "open" and "opened" (as adjectives) are roughly the same, so either is_open or is_opened expresses the desired concept. "Close" is also an adjective as well as a verb, but its meanings include "nearby" and "lacking air," not the opposite of "open," so is_close sounds weird in context. Similarly with "select." Unless is_select means "it's something really special," like a nice cut of meat, it sounds odd. It doesn't convey the meaning that the thing is, er, selected. In my view, a helpful way to think about this is to drop the idea of tense and concentrate on making sure that the word on the right of the is_ has the intended meaning when used as an adjective. Best, Stan _______________________________________________ fltk-dev mailing list [email protected] http://lists.easysw.com/mailman/listinfo/fltk-dev
