Re: Symbol tables and scopes

>> Depends on the language and programming style. It may be true for
>> C, Pascal and similiar languages, but i question the validity on a
>> typical C++ program for example. Definitely a reasonably well designed
>> program will attempt to minimize the # of global variables, if the
>> language allows it.
>


Alex Colvin wrote:
> My experience is that a typical C++ program consists almost entirely
> of names with global scope. Note that this includes types, constants,
> members, etc. Pretty much everything in a header file.
>
> I almost never see #include... anywhere but a top-level scope. And my
> experience with C++ is that most of the program moves into the header
> file.


True, but it doesn't have to be that way. Outlawing inline member
functions and using public base classes with only public members
and functions, and hiding the actual implementation within hidden
derived classes, works pretty well for isolating the implementation
details from the client. But it takes a lot of work to do it right,
which is the reason why most C++ programmers don't do it.


-drt

Return to the comp.compilers page.
Search the comp.compilers archives again.