Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis)

From	"J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.javascript
Subject	Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis)
Date	2011-11-14 03:14 -0200
Organization	Aioe.org NNTP Server
Message-ID	<j9q83e$b9m$1@speranza.aioe.org> (permalink)
References	(5 earlier) <j9pas5$ah2$1@speranza.aioe.org> <j9pb43$ah2$2@speranza.aioe.org> <j9pf87$rka$1@dont-email.me> <j9phhk$s3i$1@speranza.aioe.org> <4ec07ef1$0$28711$a8266bb1@newsreader.readnews.com>

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On 14/11/2011 00:37, Denis McMahon wrote:
> On Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:49:25 -0200, J.R. wrote:
>
>> it is one of the JavaScript best practices to declare all of the
>> variables used in a function at the top of the function body. You may
>> have many variables separated by commas, e.g
>
>>     var el = ...,
>>         h = ...,
>>         w = ...,
>>         i, j, len, ..., z;
>
>> You must not use multiple var statements such as:
>>     var el;
>>     var h = ...;
>>     var z;
>
> Rubbish.
>
> You can use as many var statements as you like. Nothing in the standards
> or the implementation prevents this, so "must not" is incorrect.

"must not" was exaggerated on purpose, because using many var statements 
is an antipattern in JavaScript.

> Some people think all variables should be declared in a single statement.
> Some people use a different statement for each type of variable, where
> type is the sort of data that it will be used to hold (array, string,
> integer, float, object etc).
> Some people just use one variable per var.

The advantages of using the Single var Pattern at the top of your 
functions are:
- there's a single place to look for all the local variables needed by 
the function;
- prevention of logical errors when a variable is used before it’s defined;
- Helps you remember to declare variables and therefore minimize globals;
- only one var statement means less code to type and a reduction in the 
file size.


> These are all permitted by the various standards, and they all work.
> There is no reason that you "must" or "must not" do any of these.
>
 >
> Also, "best practice" is invariably "in the opinion of the author of the
> website / book / blog / whatever" that said example of best practice
> appears in.

There are patterns in any programming language usually adopted by 
programmers as "best coding practices". And it happens to other fields 
of study too. See <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_Coding_Practices>

If you get a bunch of authors (books, blogs, etc.) that state the same 
"best practices" in any programming language, then you can bet who is 
wrong or right...

> As a matter of interest, what's your reference for "best
> practice"? If I write a book or start a blog called "Javascript - Best
> Practice" does that make it true?

No, it doesn't, although I know you're a very experienced and smart 
programmer. However, if you published some evidence such as performance 
tests, etc., then you could state that some practice should be either 
considered a good one or avoided altogether.

-- 
Joao Rodrigues (J.R.)

Thread

Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) " Cal Who" <CalWhoNOSPAM@roadrunner.com> - 2011-11-13 09:51 -0500
  Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-13 18:25 +0100
    Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) " Cal Who" <CalWhoNOSPAM@roadrunner.com> - 2011-11-13 13:58 -0500
      Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-13 20:26 +0100
        Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) " Cal Who" <CalWhoNOSPAM@roadrunner.com> - 2011-11-13 15:04 -0500
          Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2011-11-13 18:55 -0200
            Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2011-11-13 18:59 -0200
              Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) " Cal Who" <CalWhoNOSPAM@roadrunner.com> - 2011-11-13 17:10 -0500
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2011-11-13 20:49 -0200
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) " Cal Who" <CalWhoNOSPAM@roadrunner.com> - 2011-11-13 20:00 -0500
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Denis McMahon <denismfmcmahon@gmail.com> - 2011-11-14 02:37 +0000
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2011-11-14 03:14 -0200
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Denis McMahon <denismfmcmahon@gmail.com> - 2011-11-14 14:03 +0000
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2011-11-14 14:14 -0200
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Denis McMahon <denismfmcmahon@gmail.com> - 2011-11-14 18:31 +0000
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "Evertjan." <exjxw.hannivoort@interxnl.net> - 2011-11-14 18:36 +0000
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Denis McMahon <denismfmcmahon@gmail.com> - 2011-11-15 00:18 +0000
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Scott Sauyet <scott.sauyet@gmail.com> - 2011-11-14 10:54 -0800
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "Richard Cornford" <Richard@litotes.demon.co.uk> - 2011-11-15 01:23 +0000
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Scott Sauyet <scott.sauyet@gmail.com> - 2011-11-16 06:04 -0800
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Frobernik <nospam@nospam.com> - 2011-11-17 22:06 +0000
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-17 23:54 +0100
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Frobernik <nospam@nospam.com> - 2011-11-18 09:33 +0000
                Function arguments vs. local variables (was: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis)) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-19 16:05 +0100
                Re: Function arguments vs. local variables Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-19 18:17 +0100
                Re: Function arguments vs. local variables Frobernik <nospam@nospam.com> - 2011-11-21 20:01 +0000
                Re: Function arguments vs. local variables Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-22 12:50 +0100
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-14 15:04 +0100
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) John G Harris <john@nospam.demon.co.uk> - 2011-11-14 15:13 +0000
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-14 18:27 +0100
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Eric Bednarz <bednarz@fahr-zur-hoelle.org> - 2011-11-14 17:52 +0100
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2011-11-14 15:07 -0200
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-14 18:19 +0100
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2011-11-14 15:44 -0200
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-14 19:01 +0100
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2011-11-14 16:42 -0200
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-14 19:53 +0100
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Richard Cornford <Richard@litotes.demon.co.uk> - 2011-11-14 09:18 -0800
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2011-11-14 16:22 -0200
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Denis McMahon <denismfmcmahon@gmail.com> - 2011-11-14 18:38 +0000
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Gene Wirchenko <genew@ocis.net> - 2011-11-14 12:12 -0800
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Gene Wirchenko <genew@ocis.net> - 2011-11-14 12:00 -0800
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) " Cal Who" <CalWhoNOSPAM@roadrunner.com> - 2011-11-14 08:48 -0500
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-14 13:15 +0100
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) "J.R." <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2011-11-14 13:03 -0200
                Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-14 17:24 +0100
          Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-11-14 13:00 +0100
        Re: Difference between findPos("divThis") and findPos(divThis) John G Harris <john@nospam.demon.co.uk> - 2011-11-14 15:05 +0000

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