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Re: Nit pick -- where to stick the * in a C/C++ definition
Subject:Re: Nit pick -- where to stick the * in a C/C++ definition From:Chris Gooch <Chris -at- lightwork -dot- co -dot- uk> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 2 Mar 2001 11:42:34 -0000
Haas wrote:
> I am documenting an API in C++. I need to decide on a
> standard representation for pointer definitions.
> C and C++ themselves don't care whether I say:
>
> int * foo //centered
> int* foo //closed left
> or int *foo //closed right
I (think) I prefer the `closed right' method. It
seems a bit neater, and possibly less error prone
since as you point out
int* foo, bar;
may be misread. Same goes for [] and **, ***, **[],
etc!
A related point being that when a variable is
being cast from one type to another, to be consistent
it needs to be written as
(char *)foo = c;
Having said that, a quick check through my docs and
I've mostly used the closed right hand method, but(!)
aaarrgghhhh there are a couple of instances where the
left hand method is used! Damn. Now I have work to do,
curses.
Check whether your company has any written coding
standards which are meant to be followed. Ours say
that right closed form should be used, but sometimes
developers forget (especially newbies) or disagree
(especially oldbies).
HTH
Christopher Gooch, Technical Author,
LightWork Design Ltd., Sheffield, England.
chris -at- lightwork -dot- co -dot- uk www.lightwork.com
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