C Style

7.7 Summary

Aim to keep the number of files in directories that will regularly scanned down to one or two screenfuls (ie. about 50 files).

Structure directories by file type/functional area.

Organize files to ease navigation and minimize scope.

Use functional cohesion to group similar items.

Use one public function per file, plus the private functions it calls. Allow more public functions only if they share private functions.

Use pagebreaks in files to maximize the amount of related information on one page (ie. at start of major sections and functions).

Keep file length within about 20 pages or 1000 lines.

Define a template for each file type to help usage of a standard layout.

Order files by:

Put a file header comment at the start of every file

Use page breaks to put as much of one subject on one page at once.

Keep file width to 80 characters or less.

Work around default tab setting rather than change it and confuse those who didn't change it.

Identify files with a string constant.

Header files:

Split header files to reflect the code files they serve.

Don't reserve memory in header files.

Minimize header file interdependency.

Use header files to keep data declarations and their context together

Layout header files to reflect the systems they serve.

Data files:

Lay out data files to reflect the systems they serve.

Be careful to match external declarations with the global data.

Code files:

Group '#include's by scope.

Separate external items and internal, private items.

Put replacement items which are used once near their actual use.

Put private function declarations at the start of the file, to form a 'contents list'.

Sort functions by a standard scheme, eg. first by public/private, then by alphabetic name order.

Keep function length to within one or two pages (or 100 lines).

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CHAPTER 7 : File Layout