Microsoft KB Archive/129977

= Recommended Naming Conventions for Visual FoxPro =

Article ID: 129977

Article Last Modified on 10/15/2003

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Visual FoxPro 3.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Visual FoxPro 6.0 Professional Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q129977



SUMMARY
For consistency, readability, and making troubleshooting a little easier, standard naming conventions should be used in programming. Some naming conventions are required for sample code. This article gives the recommended standard naming conventions for constants, variables, objects, tables, and windows in Visual FoxPro. This information is available in Help by typing the following in the Command Window: HELP naming conventions



Constant Naming Conventions
Syntax: NAME

Example: #DEFINE MAX_VALUE 10

Render constants in all uppercase letters.

Variable Naming Conventions
Syntax: [Scope]TypeName

The Scope prefix is recommended but not required. In some cases, explicit scoping does not apply. For example, in the main program of a stand-alone application, there is no difference in visibility for variables scoped as PUBLIC or PRIVATE. Scope specifies the range of reference for the variable. For example, local variables can be referenced only within the procedure that defines them. Public variables are accessible from anywhere in the application. The choices for Scope are:   Scope  Description          Example ---  l      Local                lnCounter p     Private (default)    pnStatus g     Public (global)      gnOldRecno t     Parameter            tnRecNo The Type prefix is always relevant and is required in sample programs. Type specifies the data type for the variable. The choices for Type are:   Type   Description    Example ---  a      Array          aMonths c     Character      cLastName y     Currency       yCurrentValue d     Date           dBirthDay t     Datetime       tLastModified b     Double         bValue f     Float          fInterest l     Logical        lFlag n     Numeric        nCounter o     Object         oEmployee u     Unknown        uReturnValue

Object Naming Conventions
Syntax: PrefixName

Follow this suggested format for naming objects. The choices for Prefix are:   Prefix           Object           Example ---  chk              check box        chkReadOnly cbo             ComboBox         cboEnglish cmd             CommandButton    cmdCancel cmg             CommandGroup     cmgChoices cnt             Container        cntMoverList ctl             Control          ctlFileList   Custom           user-defined edt             EditBox          edtTextArea frm             Form             frmFileOpen frs             FormSet          frsDataEntry grd             Grid             grdPrices grc             Column           grcCurrentPrice grh             Header           grhTotalInventory img             Image            imgIcon lbl             Label            lblHelpMessage lin             Line             linVertical lst             list box          lstPolicyCodes olb             OLEBoundControl  olbObject1 ole             OLE              oleObject1 opt             OptionButton     optFrench opg             OptionGroup      opgType pag             Page             pagDataUpdate pgf             PageFrame        pgfLeft sep             Separator        sepToolSection1 shp             Shape            shpCircle spn             Spinner          spnValues txt             text box          txtGetText tmr             Timer            tmrAlarm tbr             ToolBar          tbrEditReport

Table Field Naming Conventions
Syntax: Alias.TypeName

Arguments: Type

Follow this suggested format for naming fields in tables. These conventions are recommended, not required. Type specifies the data type for a field in a table. The choices for Type are:   Type  Description    Example -  c     Character    Customer.cLastName d    Date         Customer.dBirthDay t    Datetime     Customer.tLastMod b    Double       Customer.bRate f    Float        Customer.fValue g    General      Customer.gPicture l    Logical      Customer.lSellMail m    Memo         Customer.mComments y    Currency     Customer.yYearTDate n    Numeric      Customer.nItems i    Integer      Customer.iCustID

Window Naming Conventions
Syntax: wName

Example: DEFINE WINDOW wCustomerInvoices ; FROM nFirstRow, nFirstColumn TO nLastRow, nLastColumn Follow this suggested format for naming windows. Do not use a prefix on class definitions. Use prefixes only when the object is instantiated.

Additional query words: VFoxWin

Keywords: KB129977

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.