Code blocks must be short

[Ursego]

Link to this posting

by Ursego » 21 Feb 2013, 15:45

Don't allow code blocks to overgrow.

A code block is a fragment, placed between opening and closing operators. These operators are (in different languages):

1. Special code block delimiters: braces ({ and }) in C-like languages and BEGIN/END in PL/SQL and Transact-SQL.
2. Code branching operators (like IF ... ELSE ... END IF).
3. Looping operators (FOR ... NEXT, LOOP ... END LOOP, DO ... WHILE etc.)

It's a great idea to keep the opening and closing operators on one screen. If you see that it's impossible then think about extracting the block's code into a new function.

That solution will also decrease the indenting: for example, the fragment

PB:

Code: Select all

if [condition] then
   [very long code fragment with its own indents]
end if

Java:

Code: Select all

if ([condition]) {
   [very long code fragment with its own indents]
}

will be looking in the new function as

PB:

Code: Select all

if not [condition] then return
[very long code fragment with its own indents]

Java:

Code: Select all

if (![condition]) return;
[very long code fragment with its own indents]

But that is already the subject of the topic "Code after validations".