Abbreviation for word "array"?
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From: Rouben Rostamian on 11 Feb 2010 00:05 On 2010-02-10, Daniel <google-cal(a)ehdp.com> wrote: > It would be helpful for me to have an abbreviation of the word > "array". > Or an abbreviation for an alternate word that means the same thing. > I use the word "array" as used in C, Java, or any standard language. > ... > But I also find special abbreviations often to be more memorable and > useful, such as cnt for count, ndx for index, pck for pick, lo / hi > for > low / high, var for variable, rng for range, max / min, etc. And I > have some variable names that are so long that it would help me to try > abbreviating "array". How about "a"? This issue was solved centuries ago in mathematics. All variables are single-letter names. The quadratic equation is written as: a x^2 + b x + c = 0, not first_coeff * unknown^2 + second_coeff * unknown + constant_term = 0. In matrix algebra, an array is denoted by a single letter, say "a", and the array's generic term is a[i]. Making it arr[ndx] just muddies things. -- Rouben Rostamian
From: root on 11 Feb 2010 01:11 Daniel <google-cal(a)ehdp.com> wrote: > I was thinking "ara" or "ary", but am not that excited about them, > maybe because they have two syllables or maybe because I > (and others) am not used to them. > > Any thoughts? Is there a standard or suggested way to abbreviate > the word "array"? I looked in "Code Complete" and searched the > internet and found very little mention. > > Thanks, > Daniel I would suggest ra
From: Daniel on 11 Feb 2010 01:52 On Feb 10, 10:11 pm, root <NoEM...(a)home.org> wrote: > Daniel <google-...(a)ehdp.com> wrote: > > I was thinking "ara" or "ary", but am not that excited about them, > > maybe because they have two syllables or maybe because I > > (and others) am not used to them. > > > Any thoughts? Is there a standard or suggested way to abbreviate > > the word "array"? I looked in "Code Complete" and searched the > > internet and found very little mention. > > > Thanks, > > Daniel > > I would suggest ra Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I had hoped there was some standard, because it's better to use coding conventions that others understand. My guess is there is no standard. I think any almost any programmer would understand hi / lo / cnt / ndx / max / min. I don't think it's quite as obvious what arr / ray / vec / ra mean. Just to clarify for Rouben, I'm not using the word "array" by itself, or in a short name. In that case, it would be silly to abbreviate. I'm using the word in combination with other words in a much longer variable name, with multiple concepts in the same name. As one example of many in the software: "RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Array_g". I need to trim two characters to meet an internal coding standard. "Array" is the likely victim. As somewhat suggested, I could just use the single letter "a" in the longer variable name to indicate an array, akin to Hungarian. But I think using just one letter would be too obscure, especially for a var name that is already pretty complicated and hard to understand. And the program already uses many 3-character short-hands to categorize variable types (CAT=category, RNG=range, TBL=table, CHT=chart, etc), so I'd prefer to continue the convention. The RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Array_g example is a read-write array (indicated by RWA). But, on reflection, it's actually an array of pointers, not an array of arrays (which I was implying by saying "Array"). Each pointer points to a read-write array (each element is a "high pick index" for a "categorical set"). I apologize for the detail. The point is another possibility is to use the well-known abbreviation "Ptr" in place of "Array", since the concept is "pointer to array". This would avoid the naming issue, but lose the information that behind the pointer is an array. Another choice is to use RWA for "array". I already consistently use RWA to start certain variable names. A negative is you can't easily pronounce RWA. But it is pretty easily recognizable, at least to me. My guess is others would pretty easily understand RWA (read-write array) and ROA (read-only array), but I don't really know. So I'm be thinking about the following choices, especially the last three: RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Array_g - Original name. Need to trim by 2 RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_A_g - Too obscure? It's certainly short. RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Ra_g - Not personally attracted to this one RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Vec_g - Many people don't know what vector is. RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Ray_g - Not bad, but I like arr better. RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Arr_g - Kind of like it (ARR! ARR! ARR!) RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Ptr_g - Avoid naming issue. Use different concept. RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_RWA_g - Extend existing internal convention Thanks, Daniel
From: Nick Keighley on 11 Feb 2010 05:38 On 11 Feb, 06:52, Daniel <google-...(a)ehdp.com> wrote: > On Feb 10, 10:11 pm, root <NoEM...(a)home.org> wrote: > > Daniel <google-...(a)ehdp.com> wrote: [need an abbreviation for "array"] > > > I was thinking "ara" or "ary", but am not that excited about them, > > > maybe because they have two syllables or maybe because I > > > (and others) am not used to them. > > > > Any thoughts? Is there a standard or suggested way to abbreviate > > > the word "array"? I looked in "Code Complete" and searched the > > > internet and found very little mention. I think this s fundamantally a bad idea. It's slipping and sliding towards Hungarian. I's suggest the ultimate abbreviation either "s" OR NOTHING AT ALL. say we have a type BaseStation. Then an array of basestations might be BaseStation base_stations [MAX_BS]; or even BaseStation base_station [MAX_BS]; I like the singular because I can write things like process (base_station [n]); the down side is I have to invent another name for a single base station. > > I would suggest ra yuk > Thanks for the replies and suggestions. > > I had hoped there was some standard, because it's > better to use coding conventions that others understand. > My guess is there is no standard. no, and too much disagreement > I think any almost any programmer would understand > hi / lo / cnt / ndx / max / min. I don't think it's quite as > obvious what arr / ray / vec / ra mean. I prefer i or j for ndx and I'm not keen on cnt (too near a rude english word) > Just to clarify for Rouben, I'm not using the word "array" by > itself, or in a short name. In that case, it would be silly to > abbreviate. I'm using the word in combination with other words > in a much longer variable name, with multiple concepts in the > same name. arg! It's a Hungarian! Burn him! > As one example of many in the software: > "RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Array_g". very like the sound I make when I see something like that. Or eat somethign bad. I assume the prefix is some sort of namespace (a bit long I'd say). RWA_CAT_hi_pick_indexs RWA_CAT_hi_pick_indices RWA_CAT_hi_pick_index RWA_CAT_hi_pick_index_table RWA_CAT_hi_pick_index_list I prefer table/list to array as it seems less implementy. I hope the trailing _g doesn't indicate GLOBAL DATA... [can we burn him /twice/? he's gone all crispy] > I need to trim two > characters to meet an internal coding standard. "Array" > is the likely victim. _g is two characters... > As somewhat suggested, I could just use the single letter "a" in > the longer variable name to indicate an array, akin to Hungarian. But > I think using just one letter would be too obscure, unlike RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Array_g > especially for a > var name that is already pretty complicated and hard to understand. > And the program already uses many 3-character short-hands to > categorize variable types (CAT=category, RNG=range, TBL=table, > CHT=chart, etc), so I'd prefer to continue the convention. > > The RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Array_g example is a read-write > array (indicated by RWA). But, on reflection, it's actually an array > of pointers, not an array of arrays (which I was implying by saying > "Array"). Each pointer points to a read-write array (each element > is a "high pick index" for a "categorical set"). I apologize for the > detail. no it helps categorical_set_high_pick_index drop all the junk > The point is another possibility is to use the well-known > abbreviation "Ptr" in place of "Array", since the concept is "pointer > to array". This would avoid the naming issue, but lose the > information > that behind the pointer is an array. I don't like ptr (or anything else that indicates a pointer). C uses a * to indicate its a pointer and that's good enough for me. If you don't use global data then your variables will be defined nearby. > Another choice is to use RWA for "array". I already consistently use > RWA to start certain variable names. A negative is you can't easily > pronounce RWA. except in glasgow > But it is pretty easily recognizable, at least to me. > My guess is others would pretty easily understand RWA (read-write > array) and ROA (read-only array), but I don't really know. > > So I'm be thinking about the following choices, especially the last > three: > > RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Array_g - Original name. Need to trim by 2 > RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_A_g - Too obscure? It's certainly short. > RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Ra_g - Not personally attracted to this one > RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Vec_g - Many people don't know what vector is. > RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Ray_g - Not bad, but I like arr better. > > RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Arr_g - Kind of like it (ARR! ARR! ARR!) > RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Ptr_g - Avoid naming issue. Use different > concept. > RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_RWA_g - Extend existing internal convention
From: bartc on 11 Feb 2010 06:16
Daniel wrote: > On Feb 10, 10:11 pm, root <NoEM...(a)home.org> wrote: > same name. As one example of many in the software: > "RWA_CAT_Set_HiPckNdx_Array_g". I need to trim two > characters to meet an internal coding standard. "Array" > is the likely victim. I often use "list" or "lst"; they're both somewhat shorter than "array" (and a bit easier to type for some reason). Perhaps "set" if not inappropriate. Or "Ax" if you don't want to lose sight of "Array". Or you could try getting rid of some underlines: you don't need both underlines and mixed case. -- bartc |