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Grid naming convention suggestions

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    #16
    Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

    You could have a default for some of these. For example if anything is user, instead of usr, you could simply skip that one, so if there is no prefix, it must be user. Just a thought.

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      #17
      Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

      Originally posted by The Mage View Post
      You could have a default for some of these. For example if anything is user, instead of usr, you could simply skip that one, so if there is no prefix, it must be user. Just a thought.
      Sure you could do just about anything, although it's a lot neater w. the 3-prefix - see image (and we're just beginning here).

      Naming Convention.gif
      Peter
      AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

      [email protected]
      https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


      Comment


        #18
        Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

        This is a great thread for type A personalities! I'm a bit looser, but for me, the important thing is to quickly find the component I want to edit, so I tend to name pages and components with the same name ( the inv_edit component, if in a page, is in the inv_edit page) and with a (mostly) three digit prefix that serves to keep everything associated with, say, inventory all together in one section of the list. Then, a verb to tell me what it does, such as inv_add, inv_edit, inv_list, inv_reprice, inv_purge, and so on. Even with hundreds of components, that works well enough for me.

        Since Alpha advises keeping the component names "as short as possible", I try not to put too much info in the name. Besides, If I want to work on the inv_edit component, does it really matter if the name tells me it is a grid or a dialog or a dialog2? I'll still open it up and get to it.
        Pat Bremkamp
        MindKicks Consulting

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          #19
          Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

          Note - I will be putting a draft naming conventions document up on the Wiki when I get a chance for us to collaborate on something usable.

          Couple ideas I had:
          Put meaning in the first 15 characters - because the fifteen so appear as the component name in the browser, and sometimes you need to know which one you are looking at.
          Readability - make it something you will easily get a year from now. If it is too structured and abbreviated, you won't recognize it.
          Obvious - a grid based on the Student table probably should have the word "student" in it somewhere.
          Searchable - as of a few patches we can search component names so having "SYS" in all system components allow you to filter to see only those.
          Steve Wood
          See my profile on IADN

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            #20
            Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

            as a newcomer, and this is probably different for a more experienced developer

            I find the concept of including the VERB in the component name.... intimidating. I'm not saying it should not be included. I'm just pointing out that it feels complicated.

            If you have a read only grid with an updateable detail view - what is the verb?

            If you have a single detail view, set for read only but you can click and go into edit mode, what is the verb?

            And, since it is soooo easy to change how a grid is used once you are inside the grid (after creation) - ie, toggling options on and off, the verb that is in the name may not be applicable once you are done with the design.

            When I began creating Stored Procedures in SQL I had the same issue... wanting the verb in the title, but not being able to know where or what I was doing. Now it's 2nd nature - I know why I'm creating the SP and what I want it to do. I imagine it will be the same for grid components....
            MSQL since 2010
            A5V11 since Feb 2012

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              #21
              Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

              Marion,

              Regarding MySQL stored procedures and UDF's in Xbasic, I agree with you. For those, I tend to use much longer names, such as "Get_Lat_Long_From_LSD()" which is a routine that gets the latitude and longitude from the Canadian LSD value, and "Create_Project_Copies" which makes multiple copies of projects. Using long involved names there makes it less likely that I'm going to bump into one of the thousands of Alpha functions, past and future.

              If I have a grid to edit an employee record, though, I'll name it em_edit, or if there is a dialog to edit a single employee and a grid to edil all employees, I might name them em_edit_one and em_edit_all.

              If there is one employee edit component, and I name it em_edit, why does it matter if it is a read only grid with an updateable detail, or a single record grid with linked grids. What would I do different if I knew that from the name? Infomation is only valueable if it causes you to do something different that you would do otherwise.
              Pat Bremkamp
              MindKicks Consulting

              Comment


                #22
                Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

                I can see that if you have a big project with multiple programmers working on the same project, that having agreed on naming conventions would be a help. It would be frustrating if the other programmers weren't picking the "right" prefix or verb!

                Also, I have a project where my client's parent company has a consultant to manage my project. In that case, they are really concerned about naming conventions and documnetation because when my client grows large enough, they plan to have my programs rewritten in a "real" language (meaning not Alpha) by "real" programmers (meaning not me). That doesn't bother me. I'd like to be there when they put together the estimate and the schedule!
                Pat Bremkamp
                MindKicks Consulting

                Comment


                  #23
                  Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

                  Originally posted by Pat Bremkamp View Post
                  ...because when my client grows large enough, they plan to have my programs rewritten in a "real" language (meaning not Alpha) by "real" programmers (meaning not me).
                  You're killing me!

                  Hey, there's the "real" and then there's the "ideal". The ideal is good, but the real is better. What your client has yet to understand is that you're the "real" and that fantasy they are having is the "ideal". Good luck to them. In the mean time, hopefully your effort is financially rewarding. Ya gotta love it!
                  Peter
                  AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

                  [email protected]
                  https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


                  Comment


                    #24
                    Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

                    On 12 Feb 2012 Steve said, "This reminds me, we need to petition Alpha to add the "Description" field to the detail list of components. The Description field is found under Information for each component."

                    Excellent idea. This would give us immediate insight into the grids purpose and function, without having to rely so much on a naming convention. The description column would be added to the Name, Size, Modified, Type columns on the grid list.

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

                      This has been added in V12. Works great. Just one of those little things that really improves productivity.

                      Comment


                        #26
                        Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

                        Would have been nice if they had pity on us poor folk and made it an upgrade to V11...

                        Comment


                          #27
                          Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

                          Originally posted by Steve Wood View Post
                          There is an IADN Best Practices Guideline at http://alphadevnet.com/downloads/Alp...Guidelines.pdf.

                          If this thread results in a discussion about best practices for naming conventions, I will update that document to reflect the consensus and we can us it to make our projects a little more uniform.
                          I was looking for discussion on naming conventions and found this old thread. I just wanted to share the updated link to the IADN Best Practices guide in case anyone else was looking for it. The guide hasn't been updated since 2014.

                          http://help.iadn.com/bestpractices/

                          If you like to use long object names, remember this tip:
                          Although not mandatory, component names (grids, dialogs, etc.) should be named so they are unique within the first 15 characters.

                          Reason: When a component is inserted into an A5W page, Alpha Five automatically truncates the component name to 15 characters in code applied inside the <head> and <body> tags. Alpha Five ensures there is no conflict, but it becomes difficult for you as the programmer to identify your component code within the A5W page if they are not unique within the first 15 characters.
                          Last edited by Ben S.; 11-23-2017, 12:31 AM.

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Re: Grid naming convention suggestions

                            If I ever got the sense that it was being used I would have maintained it. I pushed it for quite a while. I do maintain my own cheat sheet but I have not updated this reference because it seemed nobody used it. Fortunately everything in the guide is still completely valid.
                            Steve Wood
                            See my profile on IADN

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