Logics is really hard to learn

Vladimir Svyatski

I've been wondering for a long time and I still do: why can't people learn elementary logic rules? Are they really that hard? For example, I constantly meet code snippets like this:

        if (tabIndex == 0)
        {
            panelGeneral.Visible = true;
            panelTolerances.Visible = false;
            btnProjSetNext.Enabled = true;
            btnProjSetPrev.Enabled = false;
        }
        else
        {
            panelGeneral.Visible = false;
            panelTolerances.Visible = true;
            btnProjSetNext.Enabled = false;
            btnProjSetPrev.Enabled = true;
        }

Why don't write something like

        bool tabIndexZero = tabIndex == 0;
        
        panelGeneral.Visible = tabIndexZero;
        panelTolerances.Visible = !tabIndexZero;
        btnProjSetNext.Enabled = tabIndexZero;
        btnProjSetPrev.Enabled = !tabIndexZero;

This is twice as shorter! Benefit from knowledge of basic Boolean rules, which are, I believe, "must know" for every developer.

musefan

or why not...

bool tabIndexZero = tabIndex == 0;
panelGeneral.Visible = btnProjSetNext.Enabled = tabIndexZero;
panelTolerances.Visible = btnProjSetPrev.Enabled = !tabIndexZero;

or

panelTolerances.Visible = btnProjSetPrev.Enabled = !(panelGeneral.Visible = btnProjSetNext.Enabled = tabIndex == 0);

...anyway, the code you claim to be so bad is certainly much more readable, and also convenient if you need to change the logic (i.e. tabIndex = 0 should now set all values to true) I am not saying it is good practice however

I may or may not be responsible for my own actions

modified on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 12:18 PM

Sander Rossel

VUnreal wrote:

why can't people learn elementary logic rules?

Maybe they are pengiuns![^] :-O

It's an OO world.

Lost User · modified on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 12:18 PM

musefan wrote:

or why not...

Because that repeats the evaluation and a single answer is easier to update (invert as per your example) than a multitude of lines. It would also reduce the canche of introducing a bug because of a typo in the expression that's going to be evaluated. Nitpicking again..

I are Troll :suss:

musefan

Eddy Vluggen wrote:

Because that repeats the evaluation

good point :doh:

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BillW33

But, people like to use if statements! I am happy if they at least use an else instead of another if. :sigh:

Just because the code works, it doesn't mean that it is good code.

Chris Meech

I think that both pieces of code are acceptable. While the original is much more verbose, that will lend itself to being understood by someone else. It additionally allows for easier maintenance should UI changes be needed. :)

Chris Meech I am Canadian. [heard in a local bar] In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. [Yogi Berra] posting about Crystal Reports here is like discussing gay marriage on a catholic church’s website.[Nishant Sivakumar]

Lost User

musefan wrote:

good point

Meh, too much VB, didn't notice the single equation-character :(

I are Troll :suss:

Lost User

That's a brilliantly simple way to do things. In short, there are two ways to solve a problem: Just do it :) Just do it, but do it in a better way!

- Bits and Bytes Rules! 10(jk)

Nathan D Cook

"Logics is really hard to learn?" Don't you mean "Logics are really hard to learn?" LOL, I'm just kidding. Anyways, personally, I actually prefer the first one just because it's easier. My job involves 40 hrs a week of trying to decipher other people's written code and fix bugs. I love it, but I'll gladly take the simple-written code over the stuff I have to think over for a minute or so.

Lost User

good point

Lost User

Even i like to go with first method, which makes the code more readable.

Luc Pattyn

tabIndexZero is a poor choice for the identifier here, it should convey functionality; and statement reordering and better horizontal alignment could be used to improve readability, so maybe:

        bool summaryMode = tabIndex == 0;
        
        panelGeneral.Visible =     summaryMode;
        btnProjSetNext.Enabled =   summaryMode;

        panelTolerances.Visible = !summaryMode;
        btnProjSetPrev.Enabled =  !summaryMode;

:)

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PIEBALDconsult

VUnreal wrote:

This is twice as shorter!

What the heck does that mean? Twice as shorter than what? :confused:

Richard A Dalton

You beat me to it, I was about to say both examples are bad. I don't give a rats behind about how long the code it, but if it't doesn't tell me what it's doing then it's bad. Also, the second example makes explicit the oppositeness of PanelGeneral.Visible and PanelTolerances.visible btnProjSetNext.Enabled and btnProjSetPrev.Enabled That oppositeness might be coincidental rather than fundamental. If so the first code is actually better than the second. -Richard

Hit any user to continue.

Luc Pattyn

Richard A. Dalton wrote:

You beat me to it

only just. :-D

Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.