What "advanced" features of programming languages do you use?

[ZurdoDev]

:laugh: :thumbsup:

Social Media - A platform that makes it easier for the crazies to find each other. Everyone is born right handed. Only the strongest overcome it. Fight for left-handed rights and hand equality.

[F ES Sitecore]

I'll toss the ViewBag into that bucket too.

[ZurdoDev]

OriginalGriff wrote:

I avoid using var and dynamic in C#

I agree. But I find it interesting how many experienced developers love using var. I feel like I must be missing something.

Social Media - A platform that makes it easier for the crazies to find each other. Everyone is born right handed. Only the strongest overcome it. Fight for left-handed rights and hand equality.

[OriginalGriff]

You have to wonder how any of these people manage to do anything useful. :sigh: I was sent this this morning: Cyanide & Happiness: Millenials[^] (possibly NSFW, very little of C&A is) :laugh:

"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

[Wastedtalent]

ZurdoDev wrote:

I agree. But I find it interesting how many experienced developers love using var. I feel like I must be missing something.

I used to hate it but got used to it now.

[rjmoses]

They don't! If I see one more "I'm ugly. I bet I won't even get one share." on FB, I'm going to unfriend myself.

[Sander Rossel]

Depends on what you think is advanced ;) I use lambdas in C# all the time, but they've been around for over 10 years and now also turn up in other languages like JavaScript and, apparently, C++. I use named tuples in C#, they were introduced two or three years ago, I think. I've used pattern matching too. A comment above this one mentions var and dynamic, I use var quite often and dynamic when I need it. Basically, if it's in the language, why shouldn't I use it if I have need for it? Personally, I don't find lambdas difficult to read at all. In fact, a simple lambda can much better convey what you're doing than a function and be better maintainable. For example:

myCollection.Where(x => x.IsActive).ToList();

// vs.

myCollection.Where(IsActive).ToList();
// Elsewhere in the code.
private bool IsActive(Something x)
{
return x.IsActive;
}

If the specs change, for example x.IsActive && x.Status == Status.Done, the first is an easy fix, the second would become IsActiveAndStateIsDone or some such, which gets harder to read every time. In the case when the lambda is an Expression, like with Entity Framework, a function can't even be parsed and you have to use a lambda.

Best, Sander sanderrossel.com Migrating Applications to the Cloud with Azure arrgh.js - Bringing LINQ to JavaScript Object-Oriented Programming in C# Succinctly

[Lost User]

I'm always fighting reading a lambda. How you would express "x => x.IsActive" in words? Maybe this can help me :-O

It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

[Sander Rossel]

How would you express a function in words? I'd say "x => x.IsActive" translates to "element is active". So in case of a Where you'd get "where element is active" and in case of an OrderBy you'd get "order by element is active". If you're looking for a more literal reading I'd say "x arrow x dot active", which is a lot easier than describing another function in detail. I believe they're even called "arrow functions" in JavaScript.

Best, Sander sanderrossel.com Migrating Applications to the Cloud with Azure arrgh.js - Bringing LINQ to JavaScript Object-Oriented Programming in C# Succinctly

[Lost User]

Thank you for this. I think my confusion comes because I try to read it like mathematical functions e.g. "f: x->x^3"

It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

[raddevus]

ZurdoDev wrote:

I agree. But I find it interesting how many experienced developers love using var. I feel like I must be missing something.

If you have a framework of Interfaces then var makes far more sense. It's very much related to Dependency Injection and flexibility. Of course, var is abused since any dev can just allow the compiler to set the type for all vars now. But, this is also the way newer (dynamic) languages go about things (Kotlin, Swift).

[RugbyLeague]

I am not sure it classifies as advanced but I have used unsafe code with casts and pointer arithmetic in C# a lot and am now switching to Span, ref structs and SIMD instructions

[Sander Rossel]

Try reading it as a trimmed down function (which now also allow for an arrow instead of curly braces).

// If you'd write an actual function on a single line:
myCollection.Where(bool IsActive(MyObject x) { return x.IsActive; });

// Replace the {} with =>, the ; can then also be removed:
myCollection.Where(bool IsActive(MyObject x) => return x.IsActive);

// The return statement isn't necessary:
myCollection.Where(bool IsActive(MyObject x) => x.IsActive);

// Neither is a function name:
myCollection.Where(bool (MyObject x) => x.IsActive);

// Types can usually be inferred:
myCollection.Where((x) => x.IsActive);

// Remove redundant parenthesis:
myCollection.Where(x => x.IsActive);

It is pretty close to the mathematical notation. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that well.

// Example with multiple arguments, here you need parenthesis again:
myCollection.Where((x, y) => x.IsActive && y > 10);

// Sometimes the type can't be inferred:
myCollection.Where((MyObject x, int y) => x.IsActive && y > 10);

// You can (always) use full argument names if you like, although a single letter is common:
myCollection.Where((collectionItem, index) => collectionItem.IsActive && index > 10);

Hope this explains it even further.

Best, Sander sanderrossel.com Migrating Applications to the Cloud with Azure arrgh.js - Bringing LINQ to JavaScript Object-Oriented Programming in C# Succinctly

[RugbyLeague]

I like var, it removes a lot of unnecessary noise

[ZurdoDev]

RugbyLeague wrote:

it removes a lot of unnecessary noise

Like being able to look at the declaration of a variable and know what type of object it is? ;)

Social Media - A platform that makes it easier for the crazies to find each other. Everyone is born right handed. Only the strongest overcome it. Fight for left-handed rights and hand equality.

[RugbyLeague]

That's what intellisense is for.

[DRHuff]

I like to use 'throw' because a 'goto' that allows you to jump out of your current function to some unknown place is just so cool! :-\

I, for one, like Roman Numerals.

[ZurdoDev]

Hover over each item each time you want to know what is? If you think that's easier and worth it, I hope you never work on my team. :-D

Social Media - A platform that makes it easier for the crazies to find each other. Everyone is born right handed. Only the strongest overcome it. Fight for left-handed rights and hand equality.

[Dan Neely]

I only use var in cases where the type is either given elsewhere on the line of declaration

var frobables = new List();
var frobables2 = GetFrobables(/*params*/);

or is an intermediate value whose exact type is both nasty looking and whose explicit declaration doesn't add much value.

var temp = db.tableName
.Where(x => /*filter*/)
.Select(x => new
{
x.Property1,
x.Property2,
x.Property3,
x.Property4
});

I only use dynamic in one off code, eg single shot tools or data importers; like the fluffy languages it resembles, for anything that needs to be maintained the long term costs exceed the short term savings.

Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt

[Dan Neely]

rjmoses wrote:

I had forgotten some languages don't come with a debugger.

... and those languages are hopelessly buggered at a result. :laugh:

Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt