Which is the better syntax?

Lars

5/7/2006 9:15:25 PM #

I prefer the first one, because I think it gives a better overview.

In VB I always use and prefer "If-Then-End If" on 3 lines instead of just one. Again for better overview/reading code.

Mads Kristensen

5/8/2006 6:11:30 PM #

That's also what we have decided now, but there is something very simple and clean about the latter.

Jan Schreuder

5/9/2006 6:04:48 PM #

For better reading, and it makes your code safer. WIth the curly brackets, you are sure what part of the code belongs to the if-statement. If you need to add another statement before the return true, you're always sure that the if statement is still correct.

I know this can lead to heated discussions

Torsten

5/10/2006 11:54:00 AM #

Always use curly brackets

I know the latter example give the same result, but for understanding the code, it gives a better over view.

Ex.
if (something)
  a=b;
  b=c;

it could look like b=c was also executed if something was true.

Russ Painter

6/13/2006 1:51:00 PM #

Alway use the brackets.

The reason is simple - That one line of code that needs to be conditionally executed works fine without them now.  BUT - adding a new feature or bug fix in the future you may need to add another line before or after it that is also conditional.  If you forget to add the brackets at this point, then only one of the lines will be executed and you're going to end up with a bug that could be very hard to track down.

The other thing is if you use versioning software - and you in fact remembered to put in the brackets - this one line change is now a 3 line change.

Save yourself the hassle in the future by just putting them in straight away.

if (SomethingChanged == true)
   SaveToLog()

becomes

if (SomethingChanged == true)
   SendEmailToAdmin();
   SaveToLog();