FYI, the new kernel newbie column is out

[Robert P. J. Day]

On Wed, 8 Jul 2009, D. Hugh Redelmeier wrote:

> | From: Robert P. J. Day <rpjday-L09J2beyid0N/H6P543EQg at public.gmane.org>
>
> |   http://cli.gs/0LUN27
>
>      int err;
>      /* registration takes a pointer and a name */
>      err = register_this(ptr1, "skull");
>      if (err) goto fail_this;
>      err = register_that(ptr2, "skull");
>      if (err) goto fail_that;
>      err = register_those(ptr3, "skull");
>      if (err) goto fail_those;
>      return 0; /* success */
>
>       fail_those: unregister_that(ptr2, "skull");
>      fail_that: unregister_this(ptr1, "skull");
>      fail_this: return err; /* propagate the error */
>
> I think that the code would be clearer if written this way:
>
>      int err;
>      /* registration takes a pointer and a name */
>      err = register_this(ptr1, "skull");
>      if (!err) {
> 	 err = register_that(ptr2, "skull");
> 	 if (!err) {
> 	     err = register_those(ptr3, "skull");
> 	     if (!err)
> 		return 0; /* success */
>
> 	     unregister_that(ptr2, "skull");
> 	 }
> 	 unregister_this(ptr1, "skull");
>      }
>      return err; /* propagate the error */

  i disagree, and there's actually a tradition in modules to use the
"goto" to avoid precisely that cascading indentation.  in any event, i
was stealing straight out of the LDD3 book so i wanted to stick with
their content to allow readers to cross-reference and not have to
mentally translate.

  but even if that last part weren't an issue, i'd probably still go
with the original code.  it seems to be the standard and i find it
more readable.  but that's just me.

rday
--

========================================================================
Robert P. J. Day                               Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA

        Linux Consulting, Training and Annoying Kernel Pedantry.

Web page:                                          http://crashcourse.ca
Linked In:                             http://www.linkedin.com/in/rpjday
Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
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