3 CodingStyle - standards while programming for GNU LilyPond
7 Please use these standards while doing programming for GNU LilyPond
9 Functions and methods do not return errorcodes, but use assert for
14 A program should be light and agile, its subroutines
15 connected like a string of pearls. The spirit and intent of
16 the program should be retained throughout. There should be
17 neither too little nor too much, neither needless loops nor
18 useless variables, neither lack of structure nor overwhelming
21 A program should follow the 'Law of Least
22 Astonishment'. What is this law? It is simply that the
23 program should always respond to the user in the way that
26 A program, no matter how complex, should act as a
27 single unit. The program should be directed by the logic
28 within rather than by outward appearances.
30 If the program fails in these requirements, it will be
31 in a state of disorder and confusion. The only way to correct
32 this is to rewrite the program.
34 -- Geoffrey James, "The Tao of Programming"
38 Definitions of classes that are only accessed via pointers
39 (*) or references (&) shall not be included as include files.
44 ".cc" Implementation files
45 ".icc" Inline definition files
46 ".tcc" non inline Template defs
51 (append '(("\\.make$" . makefile-mode)
53 ("\\.icc$" . c++-mode)
54 ("\\.tcc$" . c++-mode)
56 ("\\.pod$" . text-mode)
61 The class Class_name_abbreviation is coded in F<class-name-abbr.*>
69 (add-hook 'c-mode-hook
70 '(lambda ()(setq c-basic-offset 4)))
73 (add-hook 'c++-mode-hook
74 '(lambda() (c-set-style "Stroustrup")
78 If you like using font-lock, you can also add this to your F<.emacs>:
80 (setq font-lock-maximum-decoration t)
81 (setq c++-font-lock-keywords-3
83 c++-font-lock-keywords-3
84 '(("\\b\\([a-zA-Z_]+_\\)\\b" 1 font-lock-variable-name-face)
85 ("\\b\\([A-Z]+[a-z_]+\\)\\b" 1 font-lock-type-face))
88 =head2 CLASSES and TYPES:
91 AClass_name (for Abbreviation_class_name)
96 Type Class::member_type_
98 the C<type> is a Hungarian notation postfix for C<Type>. See below
102 The code should not be compilable if proper macro declarations are not
105 Don't laugh. It took us a whole figure out one of these bugs.
109 Broken code (hardwired dependencies, hardwired constants, slow
110 algorithms and obvious limitations) should be marked as such:
111 either with a verbose TODO, or with a short "ugh" comment.
115 The source is commented in the DOC++ style. Check out doc++ at
116 http://www.zib.de/Visual/software/doc++/index.html
119 C style comments for multiline comments.
120 They come before the thing to document.
127 Long class documentation.
130 TODO Fix boring_member()
142 short memo. long doco of member()
143 @param description of arguments
146 Rettype member(Argtype);
150 data_member_ = 121; // ugh
156 Unfortunately most of the code isn't really documented that good.
163 ///check that *this satisfies its invariants, abort if not.
166 /// print *this (and substructures) to debugging log
170 protected member. Usually invoked by non-virtual XXXX()
174 /**add some data to *this.
175 Presence of these methods usually imply that it is not feasible to this
180 /// replace some data of *this
183 =head1 HUNGARIAN NOTATION NAMING CONVENTION
185 Proposed is a naming convention derived from the so-called I<Hungarian
190 The Hungarian Notation was conceived by or at least got its name from,
191 the hungarian programmer Charles Simonyi. It is a naming convention
192 with the aim to make code more readable (for fellow programmers), and
193 more accessible for programmers that are new to a project.
195 The essence of the Hungarian Notation is that every identifier has a
196 part which identifies its type (for functions this is the result
197 type). This is particularly useful in object oriented programming,
198 where a particular object implies a specific interface (a set of
199 member functions, perhaps some redefined operators), and for
200 accounting heap allocated memory pointers and links.
204 Another fun quote from Microsoft Secrets:
207 The Hungarian naming convention gives developers the ability
208 to read other people's code relatively easily, with a minmum
209 number of comments in the source code. Jon De Vann estimated
210 that only about 1 percent of all lines in the Excel product
211 code consist of comments, but the code is still very
212 understandable due to the use of Hungarian: "if you look at
213 our source code, you also notice very few comments. Hungarian
214 gives us the ability to go in and read code..."
217 Wow! If you use Hungarian you don't have to document your software!
218 Just think of the hours I have wasted documenting while this "silver bullet"
219 existed. I feel so stupid and ashamed!
227 more keystrokes (disk space!)
231 it looks silly C<get_slu_p()>
235 it looks like code from micro suckers
239 (which) might scare away some (otherwise good?)
240 progammers, or make you a paria in the free
249 not very useful if not used consistently
253 usefullness in I<very large> (but how many classes is very large?)
266 learn about cut and paste / use emacs or vi
267 or lean to type using ten fingers
271 Use emacs dabbrev-expand, with dabbrev-case-fold-search set to nil.
275 use no, or pick less silly, abbrvs.
279 use non-ambiguous postfixes C<identifier_name_type_modifier[_modifier]>
283 Macros, C<enum>s and C<const>s are all uppercase,
284 with the parts of the names separated by underscores.
293 unsigned char. (The postfix _by is ambiguous)
322 Zero terminated c string
330 =head2 User defined types
337 Slur* slur_p = new Slur;
341 The following types modify the meaning of the prefix.
342 These are precede the prefixes:
356 const. Note that the proper order C<Type const> i.s.o. C<const Type>
360 A const pointer. This would be equivalent to C<_c_l>, but since any
361 "const" pointer has to be a link (you can't delete a const pointer),
366 temporary pointer to object (link)
370 pointer to newed object
382 Variable loop: an integer
386 Temporary variable: an unsigned integer
390 Variable test: a character
392 =item C<first_name_str>
394 Variable first_name: a String class object
396 =item C<last_name_ch_a>
398 Variable last_name: a C<char> array
402 Variable foo: an C<Int*> that you must delete
406 Variable bar: an C<Int*> that you must not delete
410 Generally default arguments are taboo, except for nil pointers.
414 For some tasks, some scripts are supplied, notably creating patches, a
415 mirror of the website, generating the header to put over cc and hh
416 files, doing a release.
420 The following generic identifications are used:
427 Intervals are pictured lying on a horizontal numberline (Interval[-1]
428 is the minimum). The 2D plane has +x on the right, +y pointing up.