Ideally the "shape" of your return values shouldn't change based on arguments. I think the application of this return shape principle is pretty clearly pointing at using 3 different functions, but it's possible the real code is more nuanced than that.
~Ryan On Tue Feb 17 2015 at 11:54:22 AM Mad Frode <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi! > > I have a module, a simple function that takes two parameters. If only one > parameter is given, it returns an array as the result and all is fine. > > If two paramenters is given an array is also the main result. But for some > edge cases, it returns another array with some additional data. > > If it was not for the edge (rare) cases that requires an additional array > of data, I would have just returned an array, so the user would use my > module like this: > > var coolModule = require('cool-module'); > var resultArray1 = coolModule('parameter1'); > var resultArray2 = coolModule('parameter1', 'parameter2'); > > But since I have some edge cases that requires an additional array, how > should I best return data? I see the following alternatives: > > // Returned data is object: > var resultArray1 = coolModule('parameter1').resultArray; > var resultArray2 = coolModule('parameter1', 'parameter2').resultArray; > var resultArray3 = coolModule('parameter1', > 'parameter2').resultEdgeCasesArray; > > // Return data as array when only one paramenter, return data as object if > two properties: > var resultArray1 = coolModule('parameter1'); > var resultArray2 = coolModule('parameter1', 'parameter2').resultArray; > var resultArray3 = coolModule('parameter1', > 'parameter2').resultEdgeCasesArray; > > // Use 3 different methods: > var resultArray1 = coolModule.oneParameterMethod('parameter1'); > var resultArray2 = coolModule.twoParameterMethod('parameter1', > 'parameter2'); > var resultArray3 = coolModule.edgeCasesMethod('parameter1', 'parameter2'); > > // Use an array, and for the edgecase have a special method. But then I > would need to create an additional method name for the standard cases: > var resultArray1 = coolModule.standardMethod('parameter1'); > var resultArray2 = coolModule.standardMethod('parameter1', 'parameter2'); > var resultArray3 = coolModule.edgeCasesMethod('parameter1', 'parameter2'); > > // Use array in all cases, but for the second add the edge cases result as > a property on the array: > var resultArray1 = coolModule('parameter1'); > var resultArray2 = coolModule('parameter1', 'parameter2'); > var resultArray3 = coolModule('parameter1', > 'parameter2').resultEdgeCasesArray; > > I would have preferred the last one, since in 99% of the cases the users > of the module would just be interested in one array. But since this would > limit the users way of working with the array (the user could not use > for...in to traverse the array, but would use a normal for-loop), then I > guess this is a bad option. > > Which would you choose, or maybe there is a better (simplest/most > logical/most used) approach? > > Thanks you in advance for any thoughs! > > Frode > > -- > Job board: http://jobs.nodejs.org/ > New group rules: > https://gist.github.com/othiym23/9886289#file-moderation-policy-md > Old group rules: > https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/Mailing-List-Posting-Guidelines > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "nodejs" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nodejs/677843b4-66a8-40ca-8e78-e34d31ec9db0%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nodejs/677843b4-66a8-40ca-8e78-e34d31ec9db0%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Job board: http://jobs.nodejs.org/ New group rules: https://gist.github.com/othiym23/9886289#file-moderation-policy-md Old group rules: https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/Mailing-List-Posting-Guidelines --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "nodejs" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nodejs/CAGjmZGwVUjmCioWcYSB%2B6xRYHdGuPSKzgrbqnQMSVuz9F5RLuQ%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
