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From: Don Bailey <don.bailey@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [9fans] Function args not checked
Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2006 14:43:13 -0600
To: Fans of the OS Plan 9 from Bell Labs <9fans@cse.psu.edu>
Topicbox-Message-UUID: 3899b5da-ead1-11e9-9d60-3106f5b1d025

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> variable naming conventions are not enforced by the compiler; they
> could be misleading.  why not use an ide - e.g.  eclipse is available
> for many platforms - or just document the code.  using cweb will
> exhibit your STRONG commitment to good documentation :)
>

I used to have a problem deciding how to keep track of
IN and OUT arguments in functions. Rather than bothering
to clutter up prototypes with names, I came up with this
simple technique:

	for
		anyfunction(IN * A, IN * B, IN * C, OUT * A)

Variables used as input to the given function will be sent
first, in alphabetical order by type. Output variables will be
sent next, alphabetically by type.

Thus,
	str->dup(char *, char ** );

Even without the second indirection giving us an obvious
clue, we know that the first variable is input and the second
is output.

Because I stick to this as a strict part of my API, I never have
to check the source to remind myself what I'm doing.

Just thought I'd give my two cents.

Don "north" Bailey



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