Forcing code conventions

[audinue]

I need to know, is there any way to *force* the code conventions to our students?

Yeah, at least the indentation.

I'm teaching Java...
You know that! There is a LOT of conventions in Java.



I just don't get it. I told them by applying code conventions leads to a more readable code that will be useful to debugging.

Since they are totally noob in programming, I think...

double result = price - ( price * ( discount / 100 ) );
System.out.println( "Discount: " + result );

Will be more readable than...

System.out.println("Discount: "+price-price*discount/100);

And MOST of them wrote:

System.out.println("Discount:+nPrice-nPrice*nDiscount/100);

... which is leads to an error.

[vart]

for students? simple - drop the final score - several points (out of 100) for each violation of the established coding-style. And tell them about this in advance - at the first class. And then only remind.

[cpjust]

for students? simple - drop the final score - several points (out of 100) for each violation of the established coding-style. And tell them about this in advance - at the first class. And then only remind.

That's what I'd do, but it would probably be good to check how your school feels about this. If they don't want you taking points off for that, maybe you could give bonus points for good style?
Maybe also have a Wall of Shame for absolutely horrible code.

[Memloop]

An important part of being a programmer is being able to write readable code, so I don't see why it would be unfair to punish those who can't or refuse to follow simple instructions.

In the professional world, I feel that people should be able to use text editors that are advanced enough to display code according to a certain convention, while writing it to file using another that is agreed upon. For example, the tabs vs spaces debate is easily settled this way.

[zacs7]

Of course if they don't follow your coding style, but another that is well-established they shouldn't be penalised.

[audinue]

That's what I'd do, but it would probably be good to check how your school feels about this. If they don't want you taking points off for that, maybe you could give bonus points for good style?
Maybe also have a Wall of Shame for absolutely horrible code.

Thank you, this is a great idea.

Since I would prefer positive motivations instead of negative one...

[Akkernight]

You know what I'd do? I'd kick all the students out the window and tell them to go learn C++

[Sebastiani]

>> I need to know, is there any way to *force* the code conventions to our students?

My opinion? Let people code however they please. You can always format the code with software.

[Elysia]

My opinion is that they should be penalized for not writing readable code.
It doesn't matter HOW they do it, as long as the code they turn in is readable, whether that is by hand or by some software.

[laserlight]

If you do it Sebastiani's way, they would merely be penalising themselves for not formatting code such that it is readable.

[brewbuck]

>> I need to know, is there any way to *force* the code conventions to our students?

My opinion? Let people code however they please. You can always format the code with software.

Whyyouareabsolutelyrightweshouldalsowriteusingnosp acesbecauseanartificiallyintelligentprogramcanalwa ysfigureoutwherethewordbreaksareandreinsertthespac es

[Spaces inserted by the forum, not me]

[mike_g]

Whyyouareabsolutelyrightweshouldalsowriteusingnosp acesbecauseanartificiallyintelligentprogramcanalwa ysfigureoutwherethewordbreaksareandreinsertthespac es

[Spaces inserted by the forum, not me]

I guess that means that the forum is not all that intelligent then.

[Sebastiani]

>> It doesn't matter HOW they do it, as long as the code they turn in is readable, whether that is by hand or by some software.

That seems fair. But it's just such a non-issue in my mind. Enforcing one particular style is just saying "I don't like looking at this, and I would rather force everyone else to type exactly as I would than to deal with it or else find a way to make it more pleasant for me to read.". Writing correct software should be the task - not formatting code to suit someones arbitrary tastes...

>> Whyyouareabsolutelyrightweshouldalsowriteusingnosp ...

Very cute. But you don't, of course, need artificial intellligence to format code.

[brewbuck]

That seems fair. But it's just such a non-issue in my mind. Enforcing one particular style is just saying "I don't like looking at this, and I would rather force everyone else to type exactly as I would than to deal with it or else find a way to make it more pleasant for me to read.". Writing correct software should be the task - not formatting code to suit someones arbitrary tastes...

It's one thing to get up in arms about whether you put a spaces around an expression inside parentheses, or whether to align the '=' operator on ten consecutive lines of assignment... This is visual sugar.

But then there are standards like "Always enclose conditionals inside curly braces even if they aren't necessary" or "Only write one statement per line" that I think go a long way to increasing readibility and maintainability without pandering to any one person's whimsical preferences.

[Sebastiani]

But then where do you draw the line? I mean, look at audinue's example again. It's precisely that "whether you put a spaces around an expression inside parentheses" sort of thing. In fact, if you look at most coding guidelines, they're typically just as strict. My contention is that by enforcing such things, the author is either forced to convert all of their work after the fact, or else adopt the standard outright to save time. Neither make sense to me. I would prefer to give people full artistic license so that they can concentrate on more important things rather than to be so concerned with such trifling details.