One of the major benefits of Object Oriented programming is the clear and sharp dividing lines it provides between the different sections of logic - where code dealing with one type of data is specified, written, stored and tested in different files to the code dealing with other types of data (or code that bolts the whole lot together). Such separation allows easy code reuse, easy code update without the risk of side effects leaking right through the application, and easy testing and provision of demonstration pieces to show how elements are used.
Alas - it's not all a bed of roses. When teaching OO styles, the separation of code into different files can give rise to a whole lot of edit windows and a lot of hopping and skipping around to the confusion of delegates learning the principles for the first time ... and over time we've developed techniques to help with that. In C++, which I was teaching yesterday, I'll write the various elements:
• the API (Application / Programmer Interface) / class definitions
• the code of the class
• the code of the initial specification / test program
all into a single file, separated by a ruling off comment:
// ---------------------------------------------------------
This allows the API to be developed and fine tuned without constant frame / window switching, with delegates learning where extra code members are needed as they write. And then the code can be saved in three different directions:
• the header file
• the code definition file (with a #include of the header)
• the sample program / test file (again with a #include of the header).
See that in source:
All together -
[here]
or
Sample and test program -
[here]
Definitions of API -
[here]
Code of object methods -
[here] (written 2013-01-17, updated 2013-01-19)
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
Q907 - Object Orientation and General technical topics - Object Orientation: Design Techniques [80] OO - real benefits - (2004-10-09)
[236] Tapping in on resources - (2005-03-05)
[507] Introduction to Object Oriented Programming - (2005-11-27)
[534] Design - one name, one action - (2005-12-19)
[656] Think about your design even if you don't use full UML - (2006-03-24)
[747] The Fag Packet Design Methodology - (2006-06-06)
[831] Comparison of Object Oriented Philosophy - Python, Java, C++, Perl - (2006-08-13)
[836] Build on what you already have with OO - (2006-08-17)
[1047] Maintainable code - some positive advice - (2007-01-21)
[1217] What are factory and singleton classes? - (2007-06-04)
[1224] Object Relation Mapping (ORM) - (2007-06-09)
[1435] Object Oriented Programming in Perl - Course - (2007-11-18)
[1528] Object Oriented Tcl - (2008-02-02)
[1538] Teaching Object Oriented Java with Students and Ice Cream - (2008-02-12)
[2169] When should I use OO techniques? - (2009-05-11)
[2170] Designing a heirarcy of classes - getting inheritance right - (2009-05-11)
[2327] Planning! - (2009-08-08)
[2380] Object Oriented programming - a practical design example - (2009-08-27)
[2501] Simples - (2009-11-12)
[2523] Plan your application before you start - (2009-12-02)
[2717] The Multiple Inheritance Conundrum, interfaces and mixins - (2010-04-11)
[2741] What is a factory? - (2010-04-26)
[2747] Containment, Associative Objects, Inheritance, packages and modules - (2010-04-30)
[2785] The Light bulb moment when people see how Object Orientation works in real use - (2010-05-28)
[2865] Relationships between Java classes - inheritance, packaging and others - (2010-07-10)
[2878] Program for reliability and efficiency - do not duplicate, but rather share and re-use - (2010-07-19)
[2889] Should Python classes each be in their own file? - (2010-07-27)
[2953] Turning an exercise into the real thing with extreme programming - (2010-09-11)
[2977] What is a factory method and why use one? - Example in Ruby - (2010-09-30)
[3063] Comments in and on Perl - a case for extreme OO programming - (2010-11-21)
[3085] Object Oriented Programming for Structured Programmers - conversion training - (2010-12-14)
[3260] Ruby - a training example that puts many language elements together to demonstrate the whole - (2011-04-23)
[3454] Your PHP website - how to factor and refactor to reduce growing pains - (2011-09-24)
[3607] Designing your application - using UML techniques - (2012-02-11)
[3760] Why you should use objects even for short data manipulation programs in Ruby - (2012-06-10)
[3763] Spike solutions and refactoring - a Python example - (2012-06-13)
[3798] When you should use Object Orientation even in a short program - Python example - (2012-07-06)
[3844] Rooms ready for guests - each time, every time, thanks to good system design - (2012-08-20)
[3878] From Structured to Object Oriented Programming. - (2012-10-02)
[3887] Inheritance, Composition and Associated objects - when to use which - Python example - (2012-10-10)
[3928] Storing your intermediate data - what format should you you choose? - (2012-11-20)
[4098] Using object orientation for non-physical objects - (2013-05-22)
[4374] Test driven development, and class design, from first principles (using C++) - (2014-12-30)
[4430] The spirit of Java - delegating to classes - (2015-02-18)
[4449] Spike solution, refactoring into encapsulated object methods - good design practise - (2015-03-05)
[4628] Associative objects - one object within another. - (2016-01-20)
C232 - C and C based languages - Defining and using classes in C++ [1925] Introduction to Object Oriented Programming - (2008-12-06)
[2577] Complete teaching example - C++, inheritance, polymorphism - (2010-01-15)
[2578] Where are your objects stored in C++? - (2010-01-16)
[2579] Creating, setting up and using objects in C++ - (2010-01-16)
[3250] C++ - how we teach the language and the concepts behind the language - (2011-04-17)
[3716] Learning C++ - a design pattern for your first class - (2012-05-02)
[3721] Naming blocks of code, structures and Object Orientation - efficient coding in manageable chunks - (2012-05-06)
[3810] Reading files, and using factories to create vectors of objects from the data in C++ - (2012-07-21)
[4129] Simple OO demonstration in C++, comparison to Python - (2013-07-01)
[4372] Template / design pattern for C++ constructor and accessors - (2014-12-29)
[4565] Allocation of memory for objects in C++ - Stack v Heap - (2015-10-31)
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