lyx_mirror/development/coding/Recommendations

These are some rules for effective C++ programming. These are taken from
Scott Meyers, and are presented in their short form. These are not all the
rules Meyers presents, only the most important of them. LyX does not yet
follow these rules, but they should be the goal.

- use const and inline instead of #define

- use the same form in corresponding calls to new and delete,
  i.e. write delete[] obj; if new obj[n]; was used to create
  the object and write delete obj; if you wrote new obj;
  Notice strings should be std::string's instead of char *'s.

- define a default constructor, copy constructor and an assignment
  operator for all classes with dynamically allocated memory that
  are not made noncopyable

- do not define default constructor, copy constructor and an assignment
  operator if the compiler generated one would do the same

- make destructors virtual in base classes and only there

- assign to all data members in operator=()

- strive for class interfaces that are complete and minimal

- differentiate among member functions, global functions and friend
  functions

- avoid data members in the public interface

- use const whenever possible

- pass and return objects by reference instead of by value

- choose carefully between function overloading and
  parameter defaulting

- never return a reference to a local object or a dereferenced
  pointer initialized by new within the function

- use enums for integral constants

- minimize compilation dependencies between files

- pay attention to compiler warnings

- differentiate between inheritance of interface and
  inheritance of implementation

- differentiate between inheritance and templates

- ensure that global objects are initialized before they are used

- avoid conditions to 'if' and 'while' that span more than a line

--------

S. Meyers. Effective C++, 50 Specific Ways to Improve Your Programs and
Design. Addison-Wesley, 1992

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And one of mine: (Lgb)

- when swiching on enums, refrain from using "default:" if possible


And one of mine: (Andre')

- try to implement your class in a way that the automatically generated
  copy constructor and copy assignment work out-of-the box