Re: Suffix _T for types found good

["Jeffrey R. Carter" <spam.jrcarter.not@spam.acm.org>]

amado.alves@gmail.com wrote:
> I just want to offer my experience on the old issue of adding a suffix
> _T to all type names.
> 
> In my experience it is good.

I disagree. _T[ype] adds no value. Consider your examples:

>   Index : Index_T;
>   procedure Proc (Index : Index_T);

It is clear without the suffix that the identifiers are types.

Making the effort to come up with good names is an important part of SW 
engineering. _T[ype] is an excuse for not thinking.

I use a number of suffices for type names to allow using the best name for 
objects and parameters, while still adding value to the type name:

Numeric types: _Value, _Index, (rarely) _Range
Enumeration types (and numeric types used as IDs): _ID, _Name
Access types: _Ptr, _Handle
Private types: _Handle
Array types: _Set, _List
Record types: _Info, _Data, _Group

These suffixes provide information about the kind of type and its intended 
usage. Of course, when a better name exists, it should be used rather than 
unthinkingly using one of these.

On a large project with multiple developers this approach proved to be easy to 
use and understand.

-- 
Jeff Carter
"Sheriff murdered, crops burned, stores looted,
people stampeded, and cattle raped."
Blazing Saddles
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