Re: [oopic] Re: Optimizing code

On Jul 20, 2008, at 1:47 PM, rtstofer wrote:

>> I read somewhere in the docs that use of constants can save variable
>> memory, but if it ain't working I'll go with whatever is easier.
>
> THAT is true! To assign a constant to a variable and use it as a
> constant wastes the storage space of a Byte or oByte (Word or oWord,
> also).
>
> Dim MyNamedConstantInAVariable as new oByte
>
> sub main()
> MyNamedConstantInAVariable = 3 'and I will NEVER change it!
> end sub
>
>
> But whether you use a named constant (const MyConstant = 3) or a
> literal (3) in an expression would probably not make any difference at
> all:
>
> a = MyConstant
> versus
> a = 3

Unless you use it in multiple places and plan to tune that constant.
Invariably you use that constant in 6 places and then end up changing
it in 5, forgetting the 6th, which results in "anomalous behavior." :-)

> Named constants are nice because they help document the code. At
> least they should! Literals are to be avoided as a matter of
> practice. Many consider them 'magic numbers' and really hate to see
> them in code. It's often impossible to determine what they mean.
> Well, sometimes it is obvious but not always.

Yes. I try to get all my students to use variable and constant names
that help make the code self-documenting.

--

73 de Brian, WB6RQN
Brian Lloyd - brian HYPHEN wb6rqn AT lloyd DOT com

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