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  4. Tabs versus spaces: Spaces won

Tabs versus spaces: Spaces won

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  • C Clifford Nelson

    That is the reason for going with tabs. If spaces are used, then the number of spaces specified will appear for everyone no matter what the user sets his tab spacing. When the person does editing with tabs as an option, then there will be a mixture of tabs and spaces, and it will look different on applications with different settings. When a person does editing with a different tab setting with spaces, then still have the problem. With tabs set for everyone, then each person can have what they like, and it will appear correct on thier screen. Thats why there is an issue that this forum was discussing. Set Option for Text Editor for C# to "Keep Tabs" and then each developer can have whatever indent size they like, and everybody is happy.

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    PIEBALDconsult
    wrote on last edited by
    #21

    Clifford Nelson wrote:

    each developer can have whatever indent size they like

    That depends on the tool. SPACEs are always consistent.

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    • C Clifford Nelson

      That is the reason for going with tabs. If spaces are used, then the number of spaces specified will appear for everyone no matter what the user sets his tab spacing. When the person does editing with tabs as an option, then there will be a mixture of tabs and spaces, and it will look different on applications with different settings. When a person does editing with a different tab setting with spaces, then still have the problem. With tabs set for everyone, then each person can have what they like, and it will appear correct on thier screen. Thats why there is an issue that this forum was discussing. Set Option for Text Editor for C# to "Keep Tabs" and then each developer can have whatever indent size they like, and everybody is happy.

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      L Offline
      Lost User
      wrote on last edited by
      #22

      Egg-sactly

      MVVM# - See how I did MVVM my way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')

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      • L Lost User

        Gawd! All these 'should it be 2 spaces or 4' arguments can be done away with by using tabs-then you decide how wide you want a tab to be when you are editing, while your colleague can use a different value - everyone is happy!

        MVVM# - See how I did MVVM my way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')

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        PIEBALDconsult
        wrote on last edited by
        #23

        _Maxxx_ wrote:

        you decide how wide you want a tab to be when you are editing

        That depends on the tool. Have you tried setting the tabs on a VT100 or emulator? There are historical reasons for using SPACEs. If you insist on TABs you'd better hope to never encounter code from last century.

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        • P PIEBALDconsult

          _Maxxx_ wrote:

          you decide how wide you want a tab to be when you are editing

          That depends on the tool. Have you tried setting the tabs on a VT100 or emulator? There are historical reasons for using SPACEs. If you insist on TABs you'd better hope to never encounter code from last century.

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          L Offline
          Lost User
          wrote on last edited by
          #24

          PIEBALDconsult wrote:

          That depends on the tool.

          Yes, it does. And if you are using stone age tools, then sure, your particular standards will vary (6 character variable names, all upper case etc.) but we're talking standards here, not archaeology.

          PIEBALDconsult wrote:

          Have you tried setting the tabs on a VT100

          yes, I have. not for a long time, but yes, I have.

          PIEBALDconsult wrote:

          here are historical reasons for using SPACEs.

          Again, yes there are, and if your shop needs to edit code using tools that can't display tabs, then obviously your standards should be not to use tabs. if you're shop uses black and white (or black and green, or even black and amber) text monitors, then you better not be using any sort of colorisation either.

          PIEBALDconsult wrote:

          If you insist on TABs you'd better hope to never encounter code from last century.

          why? If I need to edit code that does not allow the use of tabs, then standards are a rather moot point! If it is code that didn't use tabs when it was written well, I have a choice - live with it or convert to tabs (there's a rather neat VS tool that will do it for you) in short, there are advantages to using tabs (personal preference of layout is easy to achieve with minimal effort, less keytrokes) that, I think, make it an obvious standard, unless in an individual's circumstance it is not possible (e.g. you need to edit the code using vi) in which case it is not possible to use the superior method.

          MVVM# - See how I did MVVM my way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')

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          • P PIEBALDconsult

            Clifford Nelson wrote:

            each developer can have whatever indent size they like

            That depends on the tool. SPACEs are always consistent.

            L Offline
            L Offline
            Lost User
            wrote on last edited by
            #25

            not with a proportional font...

            MVVM# - See how I did MVVM my way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')

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            • L Lost User

              Egg-sactly

              MVVM# - See how I did MVVM my way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')

              C Offline
              C Offline
              Clifford Nelson
              wrote on last edited by
              #26

              Tabs win where people pay attention. Very easy to convince people to go with tabs. Should be the default.

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              • P PIEBALDconsult

                Clifford Nelson wrote:

                each developer can have whatever indent size they like

                That depends on the tool. SPACEs are always consistent.

                C Offline
                C Offline
                Clifford Nelson
                wrote on last edited by
                #27

                My groups have had problems when spaces are selected and people have different indent settings. Then you get a real mix of indents which have to be fixed by cntl-K cntl-D. Just go with tabs/

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