Editing Octave style guide
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=== Line Length === | === Line Length === | ||
Keep the length of source lines to 79 characters or less, for maximum | |||
readability in the widest range of environments. This is inherited from | |||
the [https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/standards.html#Formatting GNU Coding Standards]. | |||
=== Indentation === | === Indentation === | ||
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Use only spaces, and indent 2 spaces at a time. | Use only spaces, and indent 2 spaces at a time. | ||
Absolutely | We use spaces for indentation. Absolutely do not use tabs in your code. | ||
You should probably set your editor to emit spaces when you hit the tab key. | |||
=== Whitespace === | === Whitespace === | ||
When calling functions, put spaces after commas and before the calling | When calling functions, put spaces after commas and before the calling | ||
parentheses, like this: | parentheses, like this: | ||
<pre>x = max (sin (y + 3), 2);</pre> | <pre>x = max (sin (y+3), 2);</pre> | ||
An exception are matrix or cell constructors: | An exception are matrix or cell constructors: | ||
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Here, putting spaces after {{codeline|sin}}, {{codeline|cos}} would result in a | Here, putting spaces after {{codeline|sin}}, {{codeline|cos}} would result in a | ||
parse error. | parse error. | ||
For indexing expressions, do ''not'' put a space after the | For indexing expressions, do ''not'' put a space after the | ||
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<pre>A([1:i-1;i+1:n], XI(:,2:n-1))</pre> | <pre>A([1:i-1;i+1:n], XI(:,2:n-1))</pre> | ||
When constructing matrices, prefer using the comma rather than the space to | When constructing matrices, prefer using the comma rather than the space to | ||
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</pre> | </pre> | ||
However, if the matrix is large or the indentation makes it clear | However, if the matrix is large or the indentation makes it clear the comma | ||
may be dropped. | may be dropped. | ||
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prices = [ 1.01 2.02 3.03 | prices = [ 1.01 2.02 3.03 | ||
44.04 55.05 6.06]; | 44.04 55.05 6.06]; | ||
</pre> | </pre> | ||
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When you encounter an error condition, call the function {{codeline|error}} | When you encounter an error condition, call the function {{codeline|error}} | ||
(or {{codeline|print_usage}}). The {{codeline|error}} and {{codeline|print_usage}} functions | (or {{codeline|print_usage}}). The {{codeline|error}} and {{codeline|print_usage}} functions | ||
do not return. | do not return. It is customary to prefix the error message | ||
with the name of the function that generated it. For example: | |||
It is customary to prefix the error message with the name of the function that generated it. For example: | |||
<pre>error ("my_cool_function: input A must be a matrix");</pre> | <pre>error ("my_cool_function: input A must be a matrix");</pre> | ||
Octave has several functions that produce error messages according | |||
to the Octave guidelines. Consider using {{codeline|inputParser}} | |||
Octave has several functions that produce error messages according to the Octave guidelines. Consider using {{codeline|inputParser}} | |||
and {{codeline|validateattributes}}. | and {{codeline|validateattributes}}. | ||
== Naming == | == Naming == | ||
Use lowercase names if possible. Uppercase is acceptable for variable names consisting of 1-2 letters. Do not use mixed case | Use lowercase names if possible. Uppercase is acceptable for variable | ||
names consisting of 1-2 letters. Do not use mixed case names. Function | |||
names must be lowercase. Function names are global, so choose them | |||
wisely. | |||
=== General naming functions === | === General naming functions === | ||
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=== Function names === | === Function names === | ||
For most public functions we are limited by Matlab compatibility. Use whatever name Matlab | For most public functions we are limited by Matlab compatibility. Use | ||
whatever name Matlab choose. | |||
There are exceptions to this: | For functions that are not present in Matlab favour the use of underscores. | ||
For example, {{codeline|base64_decode}}, {{codeline|common_size}}, or | |||
{{codeline|compare_versions}}. There are exceptions to this: | |||
; Matching C functions | ; Matching C functions | ||
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=== Variable names === | === Variable names === | ||
== Quoted Strings == | == Quoted Strings == | ||
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== ! operator == | == ! operator == | ||
The Octave operator {{codeline|!}} should be used for logical negation, rather than | |||
{{codeline|~}}. The negation operator is written with a space between the operator | |||
and its target, e.g., {{codeline|! A}}. | |||
== Comments == | == Comments == | ||
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=== # or % === | === # or % === | ||
Always use {{Codeline|#}} to write comments | Always use {{Codeline|#}} to write comments. | ||
Absolutely do not use {{codeline|%#}} or mix {{codeline|%}} and {{codeline|#}} | Absolutely do not use {{codeline|%#}} or mix {{codeline|%}} and {{codeline|#}} | ||
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The preferred comment mark for places that may need further attention is | The preferred comment mark for places that may need further attention is | ||
with {{codeline|FIXME:}} comments. | with {{codeline|FIXME:}} comments. | ||