Beefy Boxes and Bandwidth Generously Provided by pair Networks
Come for the quick hacks, stay for the epiphanies.
 
PerlMonks  

Re: Using $a and $b for sort

by jbert (Priest)
on Jan 03, 2008 at 12:01 UTC ( [id://660176]=note: print w/replies, xml ) Need Help??


in reply to Using $a and $b for sort

Avoiding $a and $b in perl is particularly good advice (due to the overlap with the sort magic variables).

But it's also a good idea to avoid them since they aren't meaningful names. I think one of the most important parts of writing code is choosing good names for variables (and functions, and all name-able things). I don't mean needlessly long names, but appropriate names (name length should in general be loosely proportional to variable scope - if that gives you long names you want smaller scope for your variables).

Yes, you have to stop and think about a good name, but it makes the code much more readable. Compare: $page->render(); with $tmp->do_it().

It's also important to change names if you change the code, so they stay accurate. (e.g. change a variable from $employee to $person if you make a routine more general).

Log In?
Username:
Password:

What's my password?
Create A New User
Domain Nodelet?
Node Status?
node history
Node Type: note [id://660176]
help
Chatterbox?
and the web crawler heard nothing...

How do I use this?Last hourOther CB clients
Other Users?
Others chilling in the Monastery: (4)
As of 2024-03-29 07:40 GMT
Sections?
Information?
Find Nodes?
Leftovers?
    Voting Booth?

    No recent polls found