Page 216 - DCAP305_PRINCIPLES_OF_SOFTWARE_ENGINEERING

Principles of Software Engineering

Notes ADO-Specific
• Tune the RecordSet.CacheSize property to what is needed. Using too small or too large a
setting will adversely impact the performance of an application.
• Bind columns to field objects when looping through recordsets.
• For Command objects, describe the parameters manually instead of using Parameters.
Refresh to obtain parameter information.
• Explicitly close ADO Recordset and Connection objects to insure that connections are
promptly returned to the connection pool for use by other processes.
• Use adExecuteNoRecords for non-row-returning commands.
Superior coding techniques and programming practices are hallmarks of a professional
programmer. The bulk of programming consists of making a large number of small choices
while attempting to solve a larger set of problems. How wisely those choices are made depends
largely upon the programmer’s skill and expertise.

The document addresses some fundamental coding techniques and provides a collection of
coding practices from which to learn. The coding techniques are primarily those that improve
the readability and maintainability of code, whereas the programming practices are mostly
performance enhancements.

The readability of source code has a direct impact on how well a developer comprehends a
software system. Code maintainability refers to how easily that software system can be changed
to add new features, modify existing features, fix bugs, or improve performance. Although
readability and maintainability are the result of many factors, one particular facet of software
development upon which all developers have an influence is coding technique. The easiest
method to ensure that a team of developers will yield quality code is to establish a coding
standard, which is then enforced at routine code reviews.
• Coding Standards and Code Reviews

• Coding Techniques
• Best Practices
• Conclusion

• Suggested Reading
10.3.1 Coding Standards and Code Reviews

A comprehensive coding standard encompasses all aspects of code construction and, while
developers should exercise prudence in its implementation, it should be closely followed.
Completed source code should reflect a harmonized style, as if a single developer wrote the code
in one session. At the inception of a software project, establish a coding standard to ensure that
all developers on the project are working in concert. When the software project will incorporate
existing source code, or when performing maintenance upon an existing software system, the
coding standard should state how to deal with the existing code base.
Although the primary purpose for conducting code reviews throughout the development life
cycle is to identify defects in the code, the reviews can also be used to enforce coding standards
in a uniform manner. Adherence to a coding standard can only be feasible when followed
throughout the software project from inception to completion. It is not practical, nor is it prudent,
to impose a coding standard after the fact.

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