Coding conventions

[Aleksander Zielinski]

Hi,

I'm almost finishing coding and checking what I wrote in the mean time. I have a simple question about declaring a reference. Sun says we should create object in the smallest scope needed for the object, that's ok but what about reference? Which one is more appropriate? Pay attention to "String [] myArray" declaration please.


Snippet one:

public List<String []> doSomething() throws ServiceException {
int [] numbers = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
String [] myArray = null;
List<String []> listOfMyArrays = new ArrayList<String []>();

// some code
// some code
// some code
 
for (int number : numbers) {
myArray = readSomeDataForArray(number);
if (checkArray(myArray)) {
listOfMyArrays.add(myArray);
}
}
return listOfMyArrays;
}

Snippet two:

public List<String []> doSomething() throws ServiceException {
int [] numbers = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
List<String []> listOfMyArrays = new ArrayList<String []>();

// some code
// some code
// some code
 
for (int number : numbers) {
String [] myArray = readSomeDataForArray(number);
if (checkArray(myArray)) {
listOfMyArrays.add(myArray);
}
}
return listOfMyArrays;
}

[Mark Smyth]

It is the location of the the reference declaration that determines the scope of an object not where you create the object. In your example the second option is better as the variable is declared and only in the block of code that it is used in. This makes the code easier to understand.

[Mihai Radulescu]

Hi

The specs from sun

create object in the smallest scope needed for the object, that's ok but what about reference

is a line to follow not a must. You must decide where it fits and where in does not.
IMHO If the myArray is used in other palaces also then 1 otherwise 2.

Regards M