3 CodingStyle - standards while programming for LilyPond
7 Please use these standards while doing programming for 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 strings 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"
41 (add-hook 'c-mode-hook
42 '(lambda ()(setq c-basic-offset 4)))
45 (add-hook 'c++-mode-hook
46 '(lambda() (c-set-style "Stroustrup")
51 =head2 CLASSES and TYPES:
54 AClass_name (for Abbreviation_class_name)
59 Type Class::member_type_
61 the C<type> is a Hungarian notation postfix for $C<Type>$. See below
66 The source is commented in the DOC++ style. Check out doc++ at
67 http://www.zib.de/Visual/software/doc++/index.html
70 C style comments for multiline comments.
77 Long class documentation.
90 short memo. long doco of member()
91 @param description of arguments
94 Rettype member(Argtype);
100 Unfortunately most of the code isn't really documented that good.
103 =head2 CLASSNAMES (2)
105 A lot of classes in LilyPond start with 'P', this is to distinguish
106 certain parts of LilyPond: the P stands for Printer, and the P-classes
107 are supposed to be more lowlevel than the others. Example:
109 Staff uses PStaff, PScore and PCol to do the typesetting of
110 symbols. Staff is the "brains" for PStaff
112 NB: in PCursor (which is part of the library) P stands for PointerCursor
119 ///check that *this satisfies its invariants, abort if not.
122 /// print *this (and substructures) to debugging log
126 protected member. Usually invoked by non-virtual XXXX()
130 /**add some data to *this.
131 Presence of these methods usually imply that it is not feasible to this
136 /// replace some data of *this
139 =head1 HUNGARIAN NOTATION NAMING CONVENTION
141 Proposed is a naming convention derived from the so-called I<Hungarian
146 The Hungarian Notation was conceived by or at least got its name from,
147 the hungarian programmer Charles Simonyi. It is a naming convention
148 with the aim to make code more readable (for fellow programmers), and
149 more accessible for programmers that are new to a project.
151 The essence of the Hungarian Notation is that every identifier has a
152 part which identifies its type (for functions this is the result
153 type). This is particularly useful in object oriented programming,
154 where a particular object implies a specific interface (a set of
155 member functions, perhaps some redefined operators), and for
156 accounting heap allocated memory pointers and links.
160 Another fun quote from Microsoft Secrets:
163 The Hungarian naming convention gives developers the ability
164 to read other people's code relatively easily, with a minmum
165 number of comments in the source code. Jon De Vann estimated
166 that only about 1 percent of all lines in the Excel product
167 code consist of comments, but the code is still very
168 understandable due to the use of Hungarian: "if you look at
169 our source code, you also notice very few comments. Hungarian
170 gives us the ability to go in and read code..."
173 Wow! If you use Hungarian you don't have to document your software!
174 Just think of the hours I have wasted documenting while this "silver bullet"
175 existed. I feel so stupid and ashamed!
183 more keystrokes (disk space!)
187 it looks silly C<get_slu_p()>
191 it looks like code from micro suckers
195 (which) might scare away some (otherwise good?)
196 progammers, or make you a paria in the free
205 not very useful if not used consistently
209 usefullness in I<very large>
210 (but how many classes is very large?)
223 learn about cut and paste / use emacs or vi
224 or lean to type using ten fingers
228 Use emacs dabbrev-expand, with dabbrev-case-fold-search set to nil.
232 use no, or pick less silly, abbrvs.
236 use non-ambiguous postfixes C<identifier_name_type_modifier[_modifier]>
239 Macros, C<enum>s and C<const>s are all uppercase,
240 with the parts of the names separated by underscores.
249 unsigned char. (The postfix _by is ambiguous)
278 Zero terminated c string
286 =head2 User defined types
293 Slur* slur_p = new Slur;
297 The following types modify the meaning of the prefix.
298 These are precede the prefixes:
312 const. Note that the proper order C<Type const> i.s.o. C<const Type>
316 A const pointer. This would be equivalent to C<_c_l>, but since any
317 "const" pointer has to be a link (you can't delete a const pointer),
322 temporary pointer to object (link)
326 pointer to newed object
338 Variable loop: an integer
342 Temporary variable: an unsigned integer
346 Variable test: a character
348 =item C<first_name_str>
350 Variable first_name: a String class object
352 =item C<last_name_ch_a>
354 Variable last_name: a C<char> array
358 Variable foo: an C<Int*> that you must delete
362 Variable bar: an C<Int*> that you must not delete