Using { } blocks to improve readability

**Duggi** · Sep 23 '08, 07:55 PM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

On Sep 23, 12:31 pm, "G.S." <gstoy...@gmail .comwrote:

Is it acceptable to use { } blocks to improve readability and
maintainability of the code?
>
Example:
>
//add the checkbox column
DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn column = new DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn();
{
column.HeaderTe xt = "Include";
column.Name = "IsUsedInNotifi cation";
column.FlatStyl e = FlatStyle.Stand ard;
column.ThreeSta te = false;
column.ValueTyp e = typeof(bool);
column.TrueValu e = true;
column.FalseVal ue = false;
>
}
>
thank you

Its perfectly valid code.. however I personally prefer using #regions
for the same.

-Cnu

**Jon Skeet [C# MVP]** · Sep 23 '08, 08:05 PM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

G.S. <gstoynev@gmail .comwrote:

Is it acceptable to use { } blocks to improve readability and
maintainability of the code?
>
Example:
>
//add the checkbox column
DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn column = new DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn();
{
column.HeaderTe xt = "Include";
column.Name = "IsUsedInNotifi cation";
column.FlatStyl e = FlatStyle.Stand ard;
column.ThreeSta te = false;
column.ValueTyp e = typeof(bool);
column.TrueValu e = true;
column.FalseVal ue = false;
}

It's a little bit odd, but generally okay. If you're using C# 3,
however, you can do even better with an object initializer:

DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn column = new DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn
{
HeaderText = "Include";
Name = "IsUsedInNotifi cation";
FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Stand ard;
ThreeState = false;
ValueType = typeof(bool);
TrueValue = true;
FalseValue = false;
};

--
Jon Skeet - <skeet@pobox.co m>
Web site: http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/jon.skeet
C# in Depth: http://csharpindepth.com

**Peter Morris** · Sep 23 '08, 08:25 PM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

Ah. I did this some time ago when using XmlTextWriter. I will revise my
newest code that uses it and put some in :-)

writer.WriteSta rtElement("thin g");
{
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("n ame", "eggs");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("s ize", "7");
writer.WriteSta rtElement("inne rThing");
{
etc
}
writer.WriteEnd Element();
}
writer.WriteEnd Element();

Not sure where to put the { and }, but it looks better than this

writer.WriteSta rtElement("thin g");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("n ame", "eggs");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("s ize", "7");
writer.WriteSta rtElement("inne rThing");
etc
writer.WriteEnd Element();
writer.WriteEnd Element();

Would be great if WriteStartEleme nt returned an IDisposable wouldn't it.

Pete

**G.S.** · Sep 23 '08, 09:05 PM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

On Sep 23, 3:54 pm, Jon Skeet [C# MVP] <sk...@pobox.co mwrote:

G.S. <gstoy...@gmail .comwrote:

Is it acceptable to use { } blocks to improve readability and
maintainability of the code?

>

Example:

>

//add the checkbox column
DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn column = new DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn();
{
column.HeaderTe xt = "Include";
column.Name = "IsUsedInNotifi cation";
column.FlatStyl e = FlatStyle.Stand ard;
column.ThreeSta te = false;
column.ValueTyp e = typeof(bool);
column.TrueValu e = true;
column.FalseVal ue = false;
}

>
It's a little bit odd, but generally okay. If you're using C# 3,
however, you can do even better with an object initializer:
>
DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn column = new DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn
{
HeaderText = "Include";
Name = "IsUsedInNotifi cation";
FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Stand ard;
ThreeState = false;
ValueType = typeof(bool);
TrueValue = true;
FalseValue = false;
>
};
>
--
Jon Skeet - <sk...@pobox.co m>
Web site:http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
Blog:http://www.msmvps.com/jon.skeet
C# in Depth:http://csharpindepth.com- Hide quoted text -
>
- Show quoted text -

yes, it's a bit odd 'cause it may throw you off to think that it's a
using statement (like PeterMoris suggests). And it confuses VS2005
auto-format feature, but overall I've liked it and used it in long and
tedious initialization routines

**Ignacio Machin ( .NET/ C# MVP )** · Sep 23 '08, 09:05 PM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

On Sep 23, 3:31 pm, "G.S." <gstoy...@gmail .comwrote:

Is it acceptable to use { } blocks to improve readability and
maintainability of the code?
>
Example:
>
//add the checkbox column
DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn column = new DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn();
{
column.HeaderTe xt = "Include";
column.Name = "IsUsedInNotifi cation";
column.FlatStyl e = FlatStyle.Stand ard;
column.ThreeSta te = false;
column.ValueTyp e = typeof(bool);
column.TrueValu e = true;
column.FalseVal ue = false;
>
}
>
thank you

I also prefer using #regions.

I at least once I have used something similar but for different
reason.
I receive an object reference that I know is one of a given set of
types. Depending f the type I need one property or the other, so I
use somethign like

Contact c=null;
while(true)
{
Individual i = obj as Individual;
if ( i!= null )
{
c = Individual;
break;
}

Supplier s = obj as Supplier ;
if ( s!= null )
{
c = s.ContactPerson ;
break;
}
....
break;
}

**Brian Gideon** · Sep 24 '08, 02:35 AM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

On Sep 23, 2:31 pm, "G.S." <gstoy...@gmail .comwrote:

Is it acceptable to use { } blocks to improve readability and
maintainability of the code?
>
Example:
>
//add the checkbox column
DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn column = new DataGridViewChe ckBoxColumn();
{
column.HeaderTe xt = "Include";
column.Name = "IsUsedInNotifi cation";
column.FlatStyl e = FlatStyle.Stand ard;
column.ThreeSta te = false;
column.ValueTyp e = typeof(bool);
column.TrueValu e = true;
column.FalseVal ue = false;
>
}
>
thank you

I have done it in the past. Though, I can't remember off hand when
the last time I did. The reason I did was for scoping purposes. In
most cases it makes more since to declare a new method or just use
different variable names to avoid scoping issues, but occasionally you
may find that you want to declare the same variable name multiple
times in the same method without isolating them in control flow
statement such as for, if, while, foreach, etc.

**Peter Morris** · Sep 24 '08, 07:45 AM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

Thanks to your reminder I have now just added the following class to a
common assembly....

public static class XmlWriterHelper
{
public static IDisposable StartElement(th is XmlWriter writer, string
elementName)
{
return new DisposableEleme ntWriter(writer , elementName);
}

#region IDisposableElem entWriter
private class DisposableEleme ntWriter : IDisposable
{
private XmlWriter Writer;

public DisposableEleme ntWriter(XmlWri ter writer, string elementName)
{
Writer = writer;
Writer.WriteSta rtElement(eleme ntName);
}

public void Dispose()
{
Writer.WriteEnd Element();
}

}
#endregion
}

Now I can write code like this
using (writer.StartEl ement("data"))
{
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("1 ", "1");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("2 ", "2");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("3 ", "3");
using (writer.StartEl ement("systemDa ta"))
{
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("a ", "a");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("b ", "b");
}//systemData
}//data

Which is easier to read than this:

writer.WriteSta rtElement("data ");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("1 ", "1");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("2 ", "2");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("3 ", "3");

writer.WriteSta rtElement("syst emData");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("a ", "a");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("b ", "b");
writer.WriteEnd Element();//systemData

writer.WriteEnd Element();//data

**Marc Gravell** · Sep 24 '08, 08:05 AM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

Now I can write code like this
.... [snip]

Obviously XmlWriter will be more efficient for bulk work, but for mid-
size xml, XDocument etc (.NET 3.5) are useful for this:

var data = new XElement("data" ,
new XAttribute("a1" ,"1"),
new XAttribute("a2" ,"2"),
new XAttribute("a3" ,"3"),
new XElement("syste mData",
new XAttribute("a", "a"),
new XAttribute("b", "b")
)
);

Different approach, but a similar readability improvement.

Marc

**Peter Morris** · Sep 24 '08, 01:15 PM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

Hi Marc

Would that also work for something like

using (DocumentWriter .StartElement(" airports"))
{
foreach (Airport airport in Airports)
using (DocumentWriter .StartElement(" airport"))
{
blah
}
}

Regards

Pete

**Mythran** · Sep 24 '08, 03:55 PM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

"Peter Morris" <mrpmorrisNO@SP AMgmail.comwrot e in message
news:ujalZmbHJH A.2408@TK2MSFTN GP04.phx.gbl...

Ah. I did this some time ago when using XmlTextWriter. I will revise my
newest code that uses it and put some in :-)
>
writer.WriteSta rtElement("thin g");
{
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("n ame", "eggs");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("s ize", "7");
writer.WriteSta rtElement("inne rThing");
{
etc
}
writer.WriteEnd Element();
}
writer.WriteEnd Element();
>
>
Not sure where to put the { and }, but it looks better than this
>
>
writer.WriteSta rtElement("thin g");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("n ame", "eggs");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("s ize", "7");
writer.WriteSta rtElement("inne rThing");
etc
writer.WriteEnd Element();
writer.WriteEnd Element();
>
>
Would be great if WriteStartEleme nt returned an IDisposable wouldn't it.
>
>
>
Pete

The way you wrote it, sure it looks a bit off...but you could write it like
this as well:

// Write the start element and it's attributes.
writer.WriteSta rtElement("thin g");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("n ame", "eggs");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("s ize", "7");

// Write the innerThing child element and it's attributes.
writer.WriteSta rtElement("inne rThing");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("n ame", "chickens") ;
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("s ize", "0.80"); // has head cut off

etc...

// Write the closing of the innerThing element.
writer.WriteEnd Element();

// Write the closing of the thing element.
writer.WriteEnd Element();

Doing it like the above helps keep code documented....a nd uses up less
screen space (due to excluding the extra indentations).. .

HTH,
Mythran

**Peter Morris** · Sep 25 '08, 07:05 PM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

The way you wrote it, sure it looks a bit off...but you could write it

like this as well:

<snip>

Problem is when you are 4 or 5 levels deep it REALLY looks bad. This code
though is very intuitive I think....

using (writer.StartEl ement("data"))
{
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("1 ", "1");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("2 ", "2");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("3 ", "3");
using (writer.StartEl ement("systemDa ta"))
{
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("a ", "a");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("b ", "b");
}//systemData
}//data

Regards

Pete

**Mythran** · Sep 25 '08, 11:05 PM

Re: Using { } blocks to improve readability

"Peter Morris" <mrpmorrisNO@SP AMgmail.comwrot e in message
news:OySSME0HJH A.1160@TK2MSFTN GP05.phx.gbl...

>The way you wrote it, sure it looks a bit off...but you could write it
>like this as well:

>
<snip>
>
Problem is when you are 4 or 5 levels deep it REALLY looks bad. This code
though is very intuitive I think....
>
>
using (writer.StartEl ement("data"))
{
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("1 ", "1");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("2 ", "2");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("3 ", "3");
using (writer.StartEl ement("systemDa ta"))
{
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("a ", "a");
writer.WriteAtt ributeString("b ", "b");
}//systemData
}//data
>
>
Regards
>
Pete
>
>
>

4 or 5 levels deep I would probably break it into functional parts...maybe
create a method to do each element or block of elements....to break it
apart...I mean, at some point...you may end up 20 levels deep...are you
going to indent your code to 20 indent levels? This is theoretic of course
and should be done some other way for many levels deep... In any case, it is
all personal opinion and up to you in the end :)

Mythran

Using { } blocks to improve readability

Using { } blocks to improve readability

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