Coding guidelines.

[Nat Friedman <nat novell com>]

Guys,

I'd like to ask that everyone please take a look through the programming
guidelines for Dashboard.  A lot of the development that's happened in
my absence has used different formatting conventions, which makes the
code inconsistent and therefore hard to parse.

The conventions as stated in the README are:

  - If your constructor sets self-local variables, do it like this:

		Constructor (int member)
		{
			this.member = member;
		}

  - All public class members should be in StudlyCaps.

  - Never use javaCapitalization.

  - Please read the MCS coding conventions in mcs/class/README.

The MCS coding conventions are attached for your convenience :-).  I am
going to fix inconsistencies as I find them.

Nat



The class libraries are grouped together in the assemblies they belong.

Each directory here represents an assembly, and inside each directory we
divide the code based on the namespace they implement.

In addition, each assembly directory contains a Test directory that holds the
NUnit tests for that assembly. 

We use a new build system which is described by various README files
in mcs/build

The build process typically builds an assembly, but in some cases it
also builds special versions of the assemblies intended to be used for
testing.

* Missing implementation bits

	If you implement a class and you are missing implementation bits,
	please use the attribute [MonoTODO].  This attribute can be used
	to programatically generate our status web pages:

	[MonoTODO]
	int MyFunction ()
	{
		throw new NotImplementedException ();
	}

* Supporting .NET 1.2, .NET 1.1 and .NET 1.0 builds

	The defines NET_1_1 and NET_1_2 are used to include
	features.   When NET_1_2 is defined, it also implies that the
	NET_1_1 is defined.

	To have code which is only available in an old version, use ONLY_1_0,
	ONLY_1_1

* Tagging buggy code

	If there is a bug in your implementation tag the problem by using
	the word "FIXME" in the code, together with a description of the 
	problem.

	Do not use XXX or obscure descriptions, because otherwise people
	will not be able to understand what you mean.

* Tagging Problematic specs.

	If the documentation and the Microsoft implementation do
	differ (you wrote a test case to prove this), I suggest that you edit
	the file `mcs/class/doc/API-notes' so we can keep track of these problems
	and submit our comments to ECMA or Microsoft and seek clarification.

	Sometimes the documentation might be buggy, and sometimes the implementation
	might be buggy.  Lets try to identify and pinpoint which one
	is the correct one.

	Sometimes the specification will be lame (consider Version.ToString (fieldCount)
	where there is no way of knowing how many fields are available, making the API
	not only stupid, but leading to unreliable code).

	In those cases, use the keyword "LAMESPEC".
	

* Coding considerations and style.

	In order to keep the code consistent, please use the following
	conventions.  From here on `good' and `bad' are used to attribute
	things that would make the coding style match, or not match.  It is not
	a judgement call on your coding abilities, but more of a style and 
	look call.  Please try to follow these guidelines to ensure prettiness.

	Use 8 space tabs for writing your code (hopefully we can keep
	this consistent).  If you are modifying someone else's code, try
	to keep the coding style similar.

	Since we are using 8-space tabs, you might want to consider the Linus
	Torvals trick to reduce code nesting.  Many times in a loop, you will
	find yourself doing a test, and if the test is true, you will nest.
	Many times this can be changed.  Example:


		for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
			if (something (i)) {
				do_more ();
			}
		}

	This take precious space, instead write it like this:

		for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
			if (!something (i))
				continue;
			do_more ();
		}

	A few guidelines:

		* Use a space before an opening parenthesis when calling
		  functions, or indexing, like this:

			method (a);
			b [10];

		* Do not put a space after the opening parenthesis and the 
		  closing one, ie:

			good: method (a);	array [10];

			bad:  method ( a );	array[ 10 ];

		* Inside a code block, put the opening brace on the same line
	  	  as the statement:

			good:
				if (a) {
					code ();
					code ();
				}

			bad:
				if (a) 
				{
					code ();
					code ();
				}

		* Avoid using unecessary open/close braces, vertical space
		  is usually limited:

			good:
				if (a)
					code ();

			bad:
				if (a) {
					code ();
				}

		* When defining a method, use the C style for brace placement, 
		  that means, use a new line for the brace, like this:

			good:
				void Method ()
				{
				}

			bad:
				void Method () {
				}

		* Properties and indexers are an exception, keep the
		  brace on the same line as the property declaration.
		  Rationale: this makes it visually
		  simple to distinguish them.

			good:
				int Property {
					get {
						return value;
					}
				}

			bad:
				int Property 
				{
					get {
						return value;
					}
				}

		  Notice how the accessor "get" also keeps its brace on the same
		  line.

		  For very small properties, you can compress things:

			ok:
				int Property {
					get { return value; }
					set { x = value; }
				}

		* Use white space in expressions liberally, except in the presence
		  of parenthesis:

			good:

				if (a + 5 > method (blah () + 4))

			bad:
				if (a+5>method(blah()+4))

		* For any new files, please use a descriptive introduction, like
		  this:

			//
			// System.Comment.cs: Handles comments in System files.
			//
			// Author:
			//   Juan Perez (juan address com)
			//
			// (C) 2002 Address, Inc (http://www.address.com)
			//

		* If you are modyfing someone else's code, and your contribution
		  is significant, please add yourself to the Authors list.

		* Switch statements have the case at the same indentation as the
		  switch:

			switch (x) {
			case 'a':
				...
			case 'b':
				...
			}

		* Argument names should use the camel casing for
		  identifiers, like this:

		 	good:
				void Method (string myArgument)

			bad:
				void Method (string lpstrArgument)
				void Method (string my_string)

	Here are a couple of examples:

class X : Y {

	bool Method (int argument_1, int argument_2)
	{
		if (argument_1 == argument_2)
			throw new Exception (Locale.GetText ("They are equal!");

		if (argument_1 < argument_2) {
			if (argument_1 * 3 > 4)
				return true;
			else
				return false;
		}

		//
		// This sample helps keep your sanity while using 8-spaces for tabs
		// 
		VeryLongIdentifierWhichTakesManyArguments (
			Argument1, Argument2, Argument3,
			NestedCallHere (
				MoreNested));
	}

	bool MyProperty {
		get {
			return x;
		}

		set {
			x = value;
		}
	}

	void AnotherMethod () 
	{
		if ((a + 5) != 4) {
		}

		while (blah) {
			if (a)
				continue;
			b++;
		}
	}
}