quick question about int main()

hello guys,
i have very quick question, i dont no might be very silly. is that true that if main fucntion too long it is a worst programming pratice. i havn't heard about this or read an any book. is that true if the main is too long is it worst programming practice. can any one direct me in right direction. for the proof

thanks in adavance

ssharish2005

If something is "too <adjective>" then it's bad by definition. How you judge it is quite subjective and depends on many things. I'd say that in general no function should be made very long, and main is no exception. If it makes sense to break it up into smaller functions, then do so.

thanks CWR for your reply, the reason why i asked this was my teacher argues with me saying that u'r is worst programme for just being my main a bit longer. she dont even bother about the other fucntion being longer. she just says that u'r main is long. no credits for that. even though program compiles fine with error or warnings and gives the output which was expected and moe user freindly.

ssharish2005

In school, or in a company, you have to learn to play by their rules. If they want a short main, then give them one:

Code:

---

int main( void )
{
    everything( );
    return 0;
}

---

Now just treat the function 'everything', like you'd normally treat main.


Quzah.

it seems that i dont have any way to get the marks back. i dont have proof to argu with them. :rolleyes:

ssharish2005

No point in arguing. Your instructor is the boss and her opinion, unfortunately, is what counts. Function size is a style issue and totally open to opinion.

Now if she claims

Code:

---

void main()
gets()
fflush(stdin)

---

are good things, then you have a potential argument. There is a lot of 'proof' that these are wrong and/or bad.

> is that true that if main fucntion too long it is a worst programming pratice.
Only in the sense that it's bad for any function to be too long.

Fair enough, a function which is just a big switch/case of many possible choices, where each choice results in a function call could be hundreds of lines long, but it would be totally obvious what was going on.

But a single function playGameOfTicTacToeReadingUserInputAndChoosingComp uterMoves() would just be awfully bloated.

If you think splitting a function would improve the clarity of the program, then you should probably do it.