Naming conventions for optional parameters

[Ken Ray]

Dar,

Good question. In things like Visual Basic, these are specifically
spelled out:

  Public Sub Toast(Toaster as String, Optional Temp as Integer, Optional
Butter as Boolean)

I don't necessarily see the need to have different prefixes based on
whether they are "tail-optional" or "empty-means-default", since usually
"empty-means-default" params are handled right at the top of the
handler, like:

on toast pToaster,pTemp,pButter
  if pTemp = "" then put "95" into pTemp
  ...
end toast

So perhaps a single character prefix, like "o" for "optional":

on toast pToaster,oTemp,oButter
  if oTemp = "" then put "95" into oTemp
  ...
end toast

I've also seen it where underscores are used:

on toast pToaster,_Temp,_Butter
  if _Temp = "" then put "95" into _Temp
  ...
end toast

Either way, I think it would be a good addition to the "hungarian
notation" scripting style guidelines...

Ken Ray
Sons of Thunder Software
Email: kray at sonsothunder.com
Web Site: http://www.sonsothunder.com/ 


> -----Original Message-----
> From: use-revolution-admin at lists.runrev.com 
> [mailto:use-revolution-admin at lists.runrev.com] On Behalf Of Dar Scott
> Sent: Monday, May 26, 2003 1:11 PM
> To: use-revolution at lists.runrev.com
> Subject: Naming conventions for optional parameters
> 
> 
> I noticed at here...
> 
> http://www.fourthworld.com/embassy/articles/scriptstyle.html
> 
> ... a naming convention in which parameters are named as such:
> 
> pLength
> 
> 
> I wonder if folks use an alternate prefix for optional parameters.
> 
> These usually fall into two classes.
> 
> The first is the tail-optional group.  These are dropped from the 
> right.  They may contain empty which is distinct from being missing.  
> These are tested with paramCount().
> 
> The second is the empty-means-default group.  These may be replaced 
> with empty at any place in the parameter list and also may be dropped 
> from the right.  These are tested with "is empty".
> 
> I'm considering using an alternate prefix for these.  Will 
> this help or 
> will it muddy the waters?
> 
> Maybe, to comply with the above, they can be "pt" and "pe".
> 
> Example:
> 
> on toast pToaster, peTemperature, pBread, peNumber, ptProfile, 
> ptAnnouncement, ptReport
> 
> An alternative that doesn't use prefixes is this (which 
> limits classes 
> to one):
> 
> on toast pToaster, pBread, /* optional: */ pTemperature, pNumber, 
> pProfile, pAnnouncement, pReport
> 
> Dar
> 
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