Re: [Hampshire] Code style

2009/6/7 Hugo Mills <hugo@???>:
>   If you were writing a function with a fast path and a slow path,
> which style would you use to write the function?
>
>
> Style A:
>
> if can_use_fast_path:
>        return "fast path result"
> # do slow stuff
> return "slow path result"
>
>
> Style B:
>
> result = "fast path result"
> if !can_use_fast_path:
>        # do slow stuff
>        result = "slow path result"
> return result
>
>
>   Assume that the fast path is a single expression, and the slow path
> is at least tens of lines of code. Why would you pick one style over
> the other?  Would you use a different idiom in different languages? If
> so, why?
>
>   Discuss. :)
>
>   Hugo.
>

I would aim for a function to have a single entry point and a single
exit point with goto's used on the error paths. I.e. the Linux kernel
style.

It would also depend on how "can_use_fast_path" is defined. I.e. Is it
set a program start, or is it set at each function call. If it is set
at program start, I would probably use a function pointer.