C coding convention

C coding convention

[Joel M. Pareja]

Hi!

I just would like to hear ideas about a convention that my boss is
insisting on being implemented which I personally disagree.

Putting opening/closing brackets for case statements:

  switch (type)
  {
    case 1:
=>  {
      /* do something */
      break;
=>  }

    ....

    default:
    {
      /* do something */
      break;
    }
  }

*I am aware that this is just a very small thing to argue. :-)

If you agree with my boss, could you point to me open source projects
that use this convention.

Thanks.

Re: C coding convention

[Robert P. J. Day]

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005, Joel M. Pareja wrote:

> Hi!
>
> I just would like to hear ideas about a convention that my boss is
> insisting on being implemented which I personally disagree.
>
> Putting opening/closing brackets for case statements:
>
>   switch (type)
>   {
>     case 1:
> =>  {
>       /* do something */
>       break;
> =>  }
>
>     ....
>
>     default:
>     {
>       /* do something */
>       break;
>     }
>   }
>

it's a bad idea since it just wastes screen space -- chewing up an
entire line for a single brace.  bad boss.  no biscuit.

rday

Re: C coding convention

[Glynn Clements]

Robert P. J. Day wrote:

> > I just would like to hear ideas about a convention that my boss is
> > insisting on being implemented which I personally disagree.
> >
> > Putting opening/closing brackets for case statements:
> >
> >   switch (type)
> >   {
> >     case 1:
> > =>  {
> >       /* do something */
> >       break;
> > =>  }
> >
> >     ....
> >
> >     default:
> >     {
> >       /* do something */
> >       break;
> >     }
> >   }
> >
> 
> it's a bad idea since it just wastes screen space -- chewing up an
> entire line for a single brace.  bad boss.  no biscuit.

It has the advantage of forcing a separate variable scope for each
case. That could conceivably prevent bugs if you're using the C99
feature of declaring variables in the middle of a block, e.g.:

  switch (type)
  {
    case 1:
      int i = 0;
      /* do something */
      break;

    ....

    default:
      int j = 1;
      foo(i); /* oops; meant "j", but the compiler won't complain
		 because "i" is in scope here */
      break;
  }

-- 
Glynn Clements <glynn@gclements.plus.com>