[fpc-devel] "Blank slate" next version of FPC

[Paul van Helden]

>
>
> > > 1. it makes it easier to see the whole picture just looking at the loop
> > > body, no need to scroll up; (The loop body might be just 10 lines of
> code,
> > > whereas the whole containing function sometimes has 1000s)
> > >
> > > 2. it isoltates the scope of such variable(s), therefore preventing
> some
> > > sorts of accidental misuse outside of e.g. the containing loop (which
> still
> > > do happen to me ocasionally in Pascal).
> >
> > I've already tried to make these points, nobody seems to buy it.  IIRC
> > Michael (vC) said that functions shouldn't be that long, so then it's
> > not a problem (perhaps his world is perfect, but mine certainly isn't).
>
> Anyone can split a function in many others. It's not so difficult and,
> actually, it should be done.
>
> > I'm mostly more interested in limiting the scope to prevent accidental
> > use, like you.  It can also offer more fine grained control of where
> > managed variables get freed.
>
> Try to see restrictions as a good thing.
> In this case, which Pascal doesn't allow to declare inline variables,
> you must split big functions, which has many local variables, in
> others to have a better understanding of the algorithm. At the end,
> you might have a better design and reuse of the code. Everybody wins:
> you, your code, Pascal team - as they don't need to change the
> compiler - and Niklaus Wirth might not throw a curse in us.
>
>
O dear, now I've dunnit...

So the argument against is: (1) split your long functions, because you
should; and (2) Wirth didn't do it, so good it is not.

Long functions *might* be an indication of bad design, but you know,
sometimes I have a long function that doesn't make sense to split.

Here is a good article about inline vars:
http://blog.marcocantu.com/blog/2018-october-inline-variables-delphi.html

What's not to like about for var I:=0 to Count-1 do.. ?

Or var MyDict:=TDictionary<Integer,String>.Create;

Marcos says restrictions are good. The above restricts the number of lines
of code while being just as (or more) readable!
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