Re: Long Constant Names

[Steve Richter <stephenrichter@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 09:21:55 -0600, Christen, Duane J.
<dchristen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Personally I don't understand prefixing variable types.

It helps me avoid name clashes.  Often I have a data struct and then
there is a pointer to the data struct.  And the data struct has a
likeds(xxx) name it is declared like.  In such a case I use the prefix
to prevent the names from clashing and have some meaning:
    d fSourceRecord   ds         qualified
    d seqn                           6s 2
    d chgd                           6s 0
    d data                          80a

    d pSourceRecord       s                  *
    d SourceRecord         ds                     likeds(fSourceRecord)
                                                                  
based(pSourceRecord)

> 
> Other than file fields, which are all caps, and basing pointers which we end
> in "Base" we have no variable type "tagging".
> 
> IMHO the context that the variable is used, and/or its name, should tell you
> what the variable is, if you are still not sure and need to know exactly,
> look at the compile listing.
> 
> As far as variable name length, whatever length feels comfortable and
> identifies the data held by the variable.
> 
> Duane
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Richter [mailto:stephenrichter@xxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2004 7:47 AM
> To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
> Subject: Re: Long Constant Names
> 
> On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 11:24:52 +0100, antoine.contal@xxxxxxx
> <antoine.contal@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >
> > Hi group,
> >
> > I'm having an argument with the team that choose our shop's coding style
> conventions. I'd like to have your opinion on the subject.
> >
> > The heart of the matter lies in this kind of constant declaration:
> >
> > DwwAppStateUpdFailMsg...
> > D                 C                   '...'
> >
> > (ww is a prefix we have to add in front of variables and constants, to
> differentiate them from file fields)
> >
> > The convention team says this name is too long. They want everybody to
> keep their names within the 15-character limit -- indeed, 13 meaningful
> characters after you add the two-character prefix.
> >
> > I think this name is already on the short side. Using so many
> abbreviations won't make newcomers' work any easier. Still, isn't it more
> readable than wwASUFM for instance?
> >
> > Did anyone already have this argument? What were the decisive factors and
> what did you choose in the end?
> 
> long name.  I try to organize the long name to make it meaningful
> within the application as a whole.
> 
> all constants start with "con"
> 
> use a "_" character to group sets of constants.  kind of the
> equivalent of the enum in c++:
>    conItStat_Open
>    conItStat_Closed
>    conItStat_Ready
> 
> where "con" means constant
> "itstat" is a field name in the database
> what follows the "_" are the meaningful names of each permitted value
> for that field.
> 
> -Steve
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