What's your prefered program layout?

**phantom** · 02-27-2002

Thats it. As I got it.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek! If I saw that code the first thing I would do is reach for the rum and coke, then try to comment it!

last year I did a major project for my course and I started programming in June. Even though I used variable names and did basic commenting I still got lost in my own code by november

**adrianxw** · 02-27-2002

Numerous studies have shown that Allman, (or variations), of Allman format have the highest readability level.

One series of tests, (the one's I used to convince my company to change formats!), gave a series of programmers a series of functions written in various formats, and averaged the time taken to deliver a correct description of what the function was doing. After many many trials, Allman was a clear winner.

The Allman format encompasses more than just the positioning of the braces, but in that respect, it is...

Code:

if (expression)
{
    actions;
}
else
{
    actions;
}

... type thing, not a K&R.

**phantom** · 02-27-2002

Numerous studies have shown that Allman, (or variations), of Allman format have the highest readability level.

Do you have a link to that method? and a link to the study would be appreciated. I have never been taught properly so I think it would be a good read.

**adrianxw** · 02-27-2002

I can probably dig them up, but would guess a well worded search at google for example would be revealling. Allman is one of the best known formats, (along with K&R and Whitesmith).

One reason for doing it the other way is that you can get more lines on the screen/page. Frankly, with todays technology, I don't believe that argument holds up any more. I may have thought differently if I was using C 25 years ago when we worked with 300 baud teletype terminals, if we were lucky.

**phantom** · 02-27-2002

if we were lucky.

Kids today though, they wouldn't beleive you!

Just going through google now, I put allman in and it gave me 219 000 matches. Have now refined my search

Got it now, thanks for the info.

**stupid_mutt** · 02-27-2002

Brian, wtf is mum?

**Brian** · 02-27-2002

Originally posted by stupid_mutt
Brian, wtf is mum?

The correct spelling of the shortened version of Mother.

**Govtcheez** · 02-27-2002

> The correct spelling of the shortened version of Mother.

Correct, of course, if you live in Britain. If you live in the US, it's mom.

**Brian** · 02-27-2002

No, it's our language, we invented it. Stick to it or get your own.

[That mum/mom post was actually a troll. Don't feed me.]

**Govtcheez** · 02-27-2002

^&^ & ^&^& ^& &^^ ^&^^&&^&, ^&^ ^& &^& ^&^^ &^& &^...

But I have my own language, but no one will use it

Anyways, it's not like English wasn't just cannibalized from a bunch of other languages in the first place...

**Govtcheez** · 02-27-2002

> [That mum/mom post was actually a troll. Don't feed me.]

Damn you! Editing after I post!

**Brian** · 02-27-2002

Well, actually when I finished editing, your post was still non existant.

**Imperito** · 02-27-2002

Well I use this one:

Code:

   int main () {
      //whatever
      return 0;
   }

However, I use a neat IDE that can fold a closing curly brace up to it's opening curly brace, so

Code:

   while (!stop) {
      //Many lines of code
   }

becomes

Code:

+ while (!stop) {}

And clicking the plus expands it out again, but double clicking the while folds it back in. So whenever I don't feel like scrolling past something that I know works, I just fold it up!