From: "David A. Black" <dblack@...>
Date: 2004-02-15T00:53:53+09:00
Subject: Re: Simple litle style question

Hi --

On Sun, 15 Feb 2004, Kirk Haines wrote:

> This is just a simple little stylistic query that I became curious about 
> after one of Ara Howard's questions the other day.
> 
> In general, do people prefer:
> 
> def simpleExample(t)

I prefer "simple_example" :-)

>   x = block_meth do
>     r = nil

You don't actually need that in this case; an if clause does not start
a new scope.

>     if t == 'forty-two'
>       r = 42
>     else
>       r = 0
>     end
>     r
>   end
> 
>   x
> end
> 
> 
> or:
> 
> def simpleExample(t)
>   x = block_meth do
>     if t == 'forty-two'
>       r = 42
>     else
>       r = 0
>     end
>   end
> end

Do you need "x =" or "r =" there at all?  I think the all-out
implementation of this approach would just be:

  def simple_example(t)
    block_meth do
      if t == 'forty-two'
        42
      else
        0
      end
    end
  end

And, just for fun, there's also:

  def simple_example(t)
    block_meth { if t == 'forty-two' then 42 else 0 end }
  end

  def simple_example(t)
    block_meth { t == 'forty-two' ? 42 : 0 }
  end

and even

  def simple_example(t)
    block_meth do
      case t
	when 'forty-two'    then 42
	else                      0
      end
    end
  end

(I won't bother with the "t == 'forty-two' && 42 || 0" one :-)

> both assuming this method is available:
> 
> def block_meth
>   yield
> end
> 
> 
> i.e. do you explicity declare a return variable and put that variable 
> right before the 'end' or do you rely on your audience being smart enough 
> to perceive what the return value is going to be?
>
> On a really short piece of code like this, I appreciate the elegant 
> simplicity of not being explicit, though my person trend is to be explicit 
> anyway.  On a longer piece of code, though, I can certainly see where it 
> might not be as clear to a reader of the code just what is being returned, 
> especially from a casual scan, if it is not done explicitly.
> 
> Is this clarity helpful, or is it a minor enough thing that the ugliness 
> that it imparts to the code isn't worth it?  What do you all think?

Personally I tend to like to avoid temporary variables and
accumulators in that situation, if possible.  But I don't think it's
too ugly, usually, just a bit longer.

[Note: all code untested]


David

-- 
David A. Black
dblack@wobblini.net