Making the move...

[Rob Cozens]

Hi Geoff,


> Out of curiosity, do you have an example handy of a long handler that  
> you think makes more sense to keep together than to break up? Or one  
> that you think can't be broken up without significant effort to do it?
>

on findSDBRecord  
@sdbBuffer,exactKey,fieldDelimiter,itemList,setPosition,searchForward,se 
archCriteria,cutoffKey,recordDelimiter,unlockRecord
   -- 28 Feb 04:RCC
   if ipcMode is not "dc" then -- "dc" = single user direct connection
     replace return with numToChar(29) in itemList
     replace return with numToChar(29) in searchCriteria
     requestSDBService  
sdbBuffer,"find",packArguments(9,exactKey,fieldDelimiter,itemList,setPos 
ition,searchForward,searchCriteria,cutoffKey,recordDelimiter,unlockRecor 
d)
     get the result
     if not word 1 of it and setPosition then put word 4 of it into  
sdbPosition
     put it into sdbParameters
     return it
   else
     if invalidSDBClient() then return  
true&return&sdbMessage(sdbInvalidClientError,true)
     if offset(return&sdbDbId&return,return&(the keys of  
indexList)&return) = 0 then return  
true&return&sdbMessage(sdbDbIdError,true)
     if exactKey is empty then put true into exactKey
     put (fieldDelimiter is not empty) into retrieveData
     if recordDelimiter is not empty then
       put true into multipleRecords
       put false into unlockRecords
       put false into setPosition
     else put false into multipleRecords
     put (multipleRecords and not retrieveData) into countOnly
     if setPosition is empty or retrieveData then put true into  
setPosition
     if searchForward is empty then put true into searchForward
     put ((sdbWriteAccess is "Shared") and (unlockRecord is true)) into  
unlockRecord
     put word 2 to 4 of sdbParameters into savedPosition
     put justifyString(word 1 of sdbBuffer,4) into theRecordType
     getSDBRecord sdbBuffer,exactKey,,,setPosition,retrieveData
     get the result
     put word 2 to -1 of line 1 of sdbBuffer into recordKey
     if word 1 of it or (((recordKey > cutoffKey and searchForward) or  
(recordKey < cutoffKey and not searchForward)) and cutoffKey is not  
empty) then
       put false&&savedPosition into sdbParameters
       put false&&"0 0 0" into line 1 of it
       return it
     else
       if unlockRecord and sdbWriteAccess is "Shared" then  
deleteDbLock(word 4 of sdbParameters)
       if not retrieveData and not multipleRecords then
         put it into sdbParameters
         return it
       end if
     end if
     put word 4 of sdbParameters into oldPosition
     put empty into returnRecord
     put 0 into recordCount
     repeat
       put word 2 to -1 of line 1 of sdbBuffer into recordKey
       if (recordKey > cutoffKey and searchForward) or (recordKey <  
cutoffKey and not searchForward) then
         put false into word 1 of sdbParameters
         if countOnly then
           put empty into sdbBuffer
           return (word 1 to 3 of sdbParameters)&&recordCount
         else
           put theRecordType&&recordCount&return&returnRecord into  
sdbBuffer
           return (word 1 to 3 of sdbParameters)&&"0"
         end if
       end if
       delete line 1 of sdbBuffer
       if theSDBRecordMatches(sdbBuffer,fieldDelimiter,searchCriteria)  
then
         add 1 to recordCount
         repeat for each line itemNumber in itemList
           put sdbFieldNumber(itemNumber) into itemNumber
           if itemNumber = 0 then put recordKey&fieldBelimiter after  
returnRecord
           else put  
getItem(itemNumber,fieldDelimiter,sdbBuffer)&fieldDelimiter after  
returnRecord
         end repeat
         if multipleRecords then put recordDelimiter after returnRecord
         else
           put theRecordType&&recordKey&return&returnRecord into  
sdbBuffer
           return (word 1 to 3 of sdbParameters)
         end if
       end if
       set cursor to busy
       if searchForward then
         if word 2 of sdbParameters < word 3 of sdbParameters then
           put "+" into sdbBuffer
           getSDBRecord sdbBuffer,exactKey,,,true,retrieveData
           put the result into sdbParameters
         else put true into sdbParameters
       else
         if word 2 of sdbParameters > 1 then
           put "-" into sdbBuffer
           getSDBRecord sdbBuffer,exactKey,,,true,retrieveData
           put the result into sdbParameters
         else put true into sdbParameters
       end if
       if word 1 of sdbParameters then
         put false into word 1 of sdbParameters
         put oldPosition into word 4 of sdbParameters
         if countOnly then
           put empty into sdbBuffer
           return (word 1 to 3 of sdbParameters)&&recordCount
         else
           put theRecordType&&recordCount&return&returnRecord into  
sdbBuffer
           return (word 1 to 3 of sdbParameters)&&"0"
         end if
       else if not setPosition then put oldPosition into word 4 of  
sdbParameters
     end repeat
   end if
end findSDBRecord

Note:
	stack local variables and constant declarations excluded.
	application requirement: calling syntax at server and client apps must  
be identical...
		and identical with single user syntax

> When you think of a long handler, do you generally think of it as  
> having a single identifiable task, or do you think of it as being  
> several tasks performed in sequence in one handler?

I think of it as a task handler coordinating and calling on the various  
subtasks necessary to complete the entire logical transaction.

I write one-line handlers too, if the logic is to be used in several  
places:

on mouseTrapOn -- 3 Mar 04:RCC
   insert the script of field "Mouse Trap" of card 1 of stack  
"Serendipity_Library.rev" into front
end mouseTrapOn


>
> On Mar 19, 2006, at 3:57 PM, Chipp Walters wrote:
>
>> Yep, I've heard that before, but frankly, for me, I'd rather keep it  
>> all in one, unless there's a really good reason to separate into  
>> multiple handlers (as in creating more reusability). I find it much  
>> easier to debug code I've written this way than hunting through the  
>> message path for the 15 or so functions/handlers I've written trying  
>> to make things 'more simple.' Just a difference in coding style.
>>
>> In fact, typically I'll write code procedurally in a longer handler,  
>> then only break it up if/when I know I need to do part of the same  
>> thing again. Like most of us, I'd rather not code twice.
>>
>> Even though, I've got libraries with over 50 handlers/functions.
>>
>> -Chipp
>>
>> Mark Wieder wrote:
>>> Geoff-
>>> Saturday, March 18, 2006, 1:24:50 PM, you wrote:
>>>> I've never seen a hundred-line routine that wouldn't be better as
>>>> five twenty-line routines, each of which could be documented with a
>>>> line of code. Perhaps even ten ten-line routines.
>
>

Rob Cozens
CCW, Serendipity Software Company

"And I, which was two fooles, do so grow three;
Who are a little wise, the best fooles bee."

from "The Triple Foole" by John Donne (1572-1631)