I'm reading "Smalltalk Best Practice Patterns". The pattern "Indented Control Flow" recommends putting each keyword on a separated line, indented with a tab. I like that for long messages, but this one example annoys me.
array at: 5 put: #abc
Earlier the author explains the how conserving vertical space increases readability. This example contradicts that advice. Also, it just seem so verbose compared to the Java equivalent of "array[5] = "abc";".
Do experienced Smalltalkers really like this formatting for short messages like at:put: or is the following preferred?
array at:5 put: #abc
--- Mark Volkmann
I don't think the Beck formatting patterns are perfect, but I use them because they are very good and very simple. That seems consistent with the design of the Smalltalk language, which values simplicity and consistency over exceptions (for example, the lack of special precedence rules even for mathematical message sends).
On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 8:27 AM, Mark Volkmann mark@ociweb.com wrote:
I'm reading "Smalltalk Best Practice Patterns". The pattern "Indented Control Flow" recommends putting each keyword on a separated line, indented with a tab. I like that for long messages, but this one example annoys me.
array at: 5 put: #abcEarlier the author explains the how conserving vertical space increases readability. This example contradicts that advice. Also, it just seem so verbose compared to the Java equivalent of "array[5] = "abc";".
Do experienced Smalltalkers really like this formatting for short messages like at:put: or is the following preferred?
array at:5 put: #abc
Mark Volkmann
Beginners mailing list Beginners@lists.squeakfoundation.org http://lists.squeakfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/beginners
On Nov 2, 2008, at 9:27 AM, Mark Volkmann wrote:
I'm reading "Smalltalk Best Practice Patterns". The pattern "Indented Control Flow" recommends putting each keyword on a separated line, indented with a tab. I like that for long messages, but this one example annoys me.
array at: 5 put: #abc
Earlier the author explains the how conserving vertical space increases readability. This example contradicts that advice. Also, it just seem so verbose compared to the Java equivalent of "array[5] = "abc";".
Do experienced Smalltalkers really like this formatting for short messages like at:put: or is the following preferred?
array at:5 put: #abc
I normally use the separate-line version, just because I find it easier to follow the same formatting nearly everywhere. I remember someone (Beck?) giving similar reasoning somewhere about using "each" as a loop variable, or "i" as a loop index - nothing to think about, and you can recognize what's going on anywhere at a glance.
I do occasionally "break" this rule, though. For example, to:do: comes to mind - I'll usually write
1 to: 15 do: [:i | "..." "..."]
instead of
1 to: 15 do: [:i | "..." "..."]
Hope this helps, Ben Schroeder
beginners@lists.squeakfoundation.org
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Mark Volkmann