Re: IYHO, what do you consider good code?

in reply to IYHO, what do you consider good code?

I have a unique problem as a coder. I have a lousy memory. Terrible. For some reason, I can remember the names of singles by obscure punk rock bands, but the proper placement of the comma in an open statement refuses to settle into my brain.

Frequently, I have to revisit code I wrote a year or more ago, and figure out what it does and why it isn't doing it anymore. Ergo, I'm comment guy. Each subroutine I write has a profile at the top something like this:

#---
# sub get_build_from_server
# Takes: server_name, password, path_to_build
# Returns: 0 for pass, 1 for fail
# Called by: main
# Calls: &parse_build_name
#---
[download]

The essential concept is to insure that I won't have to spend a lot of time figuring out what a sub does. If I do something "clever", I put in comments explaining why. A few times, I've gone so far as to include the chapter in The Camel Book/Perl Cookbook where the concept was discussed. Also, if the main chunk of code is a loop, it helps to list the exit condition at the top.

You might also find the Perl Programming guidelines/rules thread instructive.

-Logan
"What do I want? I'm an American. I want more."

In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom