CS257 Software Design
Monday, 26 September 2022

1. Questions on books assignment(s)
- unit testing
- command-line arguments
- the BooksDataSource class
- other implementation questions
- ???

2. Debugging python in VS Code

3. Reading: High-Quality Routines
- Naming: understandable/descriptive name
    - don't differentiate variables by number (s1, s2,...)
    - use full words in names
    - some conventions: boolean-valued functions
        can be "is_letter" or "has_moose"
    - some conventions: getters and setters
        get_radius, set_radius
        (but languages also have "properties")
- Routines help reduce complexity; reduce duplicate code
- A routine should do one thing ("functional cohesion")
    - routines shouldn't talk to the user unless
        that's their whole purpose

def factorial(int n):
    if n < 0:
        print(f'Bad n: {n}') # NOOOO; raise an exception or return some default value
    ...
    return ...


4. Reading: The Commento
- Too many comments obscure the code
- Well-named variables, routines eliminate the need for many comments
- Good comments
    - over-arching idea expression
        - top of a non-trivial routine
        - top of file
    - long functions
        - brief signposts as headers of sub-sections
    - citations
    - explanation of complicated/obscure algorithm

5. Coming up
- Wednesday: start talking about database-driven web applications
- Friday: lab about the postgresql database management system
- Monday: code reviews for books assignment

6. Work time