[AccessD] Naming Conventions

When I originated this thread, my beef was about Hungarian prefixes. I
have no dispute at all with typing every variable as optimally as
possible. My original contention was the Hungarian prefixes increase
noise at the expense of signal. In my last two projects, I have switched
to what I call the "Object-Action" convention, augmented with Hungarian
suffixes rather than prefixes.

In your example, which refers to no actual objects, my version of your
code might look like this:

<Code>
For WidgetCount_byt = 1 to 250
   'do something
Next WidgetCount_byt
</Code>

When referring to actual (Access) objects, something that I would
formerly have called frmCustomer I now call Customer_frm. The underscore
indicates that what follows is the object/data type. Everything before
that follows standard proper-case notation, with the additional rule
that the object of principal interest (Customer) is followed by the
action(s) taken. In this new naming convention, I would never have a
form called Customer_frm, since it does not specify the actions that can
be taken. Given that four actions can in theory be taken (Select,
Insert, Update, Delete), and that the initial letters of these four
actions are unique, I can then reduce the Action part of the name to a
sequence of one or more letters.

CustomerSIUD_frm -- a form that presents the customer data and allows
all four actions. (Code within the form, testing say user-level, might
cause the Delete action to be unavailable, but that is beside the point,
IMO.)

What has really pleased me about this convention is the sort order in
the database window. I don't have to look four letters in to find the
objects relevant to any given table (i.e. learn to ignore the "frm"
prefixes in the Form window -- no longer necessary -- I can type a "C"
and maybe Customers is not the first table beginning with C but I'm
close, right away.

Arthur

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of John W. Colby
Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2004 3:07 PM
To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
Subject: RE: [AccessD] Naming Conventions


It's really quite simple the why.  Because we use a naming convention.
We don't "sometimes, when we feel like it, if it's not raining, if the
moon is out, if I'm not pissed at the boss, its just a loop counter for
petes sake" name things by the convention.  We use a naming convention.
Or we don't.  I is not a naming convention.  intI or lngI or bytI or
whatever, yes, that is a naming convention.  Not a great one.  Variables
are supposed to named to tell us what they represent.

For bytWidgetCnt = 1 to 250
Next bytWidgetCnt

THAT is a naming convention.  I can see by the name what the data type
is, and I can see by the name what it counts.

I realize that quick and dirty programming takes place.  I know that
quick and dirty programs end up transforming into critical applications
for companies.  I discovered a long time ago that every time I failed to
use my convention, it made it that much easier to NOT use the convention
the next time.  I learned a long time ago that every time I USED the
convention, it made it that much easier to USE the convention the next
time.

I make no claim to perfection, however I do TRY to use the convention, I
TRY to use it all the time, and I even go back and clean up code where I
didn't. Really!

John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com