switch indentation styles

**dwks** · 09-17-2005

What's the best way to indent a switch?

Most people use this:

Code:

switch(var) {
    default:
        somefunc();
        break;
}

But to me that looks like it's indented twice, sort of like this:

Code:

if(var)
    {
        somefunc();
    }

Some people use this:

Code:

switch(var) {
default:
    somefunc();
    break;
}

But that looks like it wasn't indented at all.

I like this style (although it looks indented twice, too):

Code:

switch(var) {
    default: {
        somefunc();
    } break;
}

But a book I read suggested that "case 0: {" was illegal. Is it?

Are there any other ways to indent a switch?

**Dave_Sinkula** · 09-17-2005

This is related to general bracing style, but my preference (which was sorta thrown at me by my beautifier at first) is the second.

Code:

      switch ( ch )
      {
      case 'L': 
         /* ... */
         break;
      case 'D': 
         /* ... */
         break;
      case 'Q': 
         /* ... */
         break;
      }

I began to prefer it after having seen switches nested more than 3 deep -- which meant indentation at more than 6 levels.

**dwks** · 09-17-2005

Okay, thanks. But is "case 0: {" illegal?

**Dave_Sinkula** · 09-17-2005

More context?

**dwks** · 09-17-2005

Well, my book said "Try not to put braces after the cases" or something. So I took it to mean that

Code:

switch(var) {
    default: {
        somefunc();
    } break;
}

was illegal.

**Dave_Sinkula** · 09-17-2005

No, brace-enclosed code blocks are not illegal. In a switch statement they are often used to declare variables local only to that case.

**dwks** · 09-17-2005

I think the book meant that a goto label (ie, case) could not precede a block.

**Dave_Sinkula** · 09-17-2005

Then you wouldn't like to have seen where I used such a thing in production code. (Commented of course!)

[edit]It was something truly hideous, something like this.

Code:

      switch ( x )
      {
      case 0: 
         /* ... */
         if ( y )
         {
      case 1: 
            /* ... */
         }
         break;
      }

But it did what I wanted, and it did it how I wanted it done.

**Thantos** · 09-17-2005

Code:

case 0: { /* code */ } break;

Is legal

**dwks** · 09-17-2005

Well then, I guess the book's wrong. I'll post its title once I find it again. It was a Dummies book.

**Thantos** · 09-17-2005

Thats not surprising.

heck you can even do:

Code:

case 0: { /* Block 1 */ } { /* Block 2 */ } { /* Block 3 */ { /* Block 4 in Block 3 */ } } break;

Though if you did that the ninjas would have to come and break your hands.

**quzah** · 09-17-2005

I prefer:

Code:

switch( foo )
{
    case bar:
        baz( );
    break;

    ...
}

Quzah.

**major_small** · 09-17-2005

I prefer:

Code:

if(foo==bar)
{
    foobar();
}

but if I have to use a switch (yes, there are cases where it's worth it, like days in a month)

Code:

switch(foo)
{
    case bar:
    {
        foobar();
        break;
    }
}

**laserlight** · 09-17-2005

I prefer

Code:

switch (expr) {
case x:
	{
	/* blah */
	}
	break;
case y:
	/* blah blah */
	break;
default:
	/* gah */
}

But that's mainly because I want to keep the statements in the switch on the same level of indentation if they were in if-else structures instead.

**dwks** · 09-18-2005

Visual C++ 6.0 for Dummies, Quick Reference.

I like their sample program (page 132):

Code:

main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
char UserInput[_MAX_PATH];
    for(;;;) {
        cout << "Your input? "    // not a typo
        cin >> UserInput   // nor here
        if(!strcmp(UserInput, "bye")) break;
    }
}

switch indentation styles

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