perldelta: present tense for changes alreday in effect

[perl5.git] / pod / perlstyle.pod

diff --git a/pod/perlstyle.pod b/pod/perlstyle.pod
index bfe5b76..37dfaaf 100644 (file)
--- a/pod/perlstyle.pod
+++ b/pod/perlstyle.pod
@@ -10,11 +10,10 @@ make your programs easier to read, understand, and maintain.
 
 The most important thing is to run your programs under the B<-w>
 flag at all times.  You may turn it off explicitly for particular
 
 The most important thing is to run your programs under the B<-w>
 flag at all times.  You may turn it off explicitly for particular

-portions of code via the C<use warnings> pragma or the C<$^W> variable 
-if you must.  You should
-also always run under C<use strict> or know the reason why not.
-The C<use sigtrap> and even C<use diagnostics> pragmas may also prove
-useful.
+portions of code via the C<no warnings> pragma or the C<$^W> variable
+if you must.  You should also always run under C<use strict> or know the
+reason why not.  The C<use sigtrap> and even C<use diagnostics> pragmas
+may also prove useful.

 
 Regarding aesthetics of code lay out, about the only thing Larry
 cares strongly about is that the closing curly bracket of
 
 Regarding aesthetics of code lay out, about the only thing Larry
 cares strongly about is that the closing curly bracket of


@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ Space after each comma.
 
 =item *
 
 
 =item *
 

-Long lines broken after an operator (except "and" and "or").
+Long lines broken after an operator (except C<and> and C<or>).

 
 =item *
 
 
 =item *
 


@@ -160,10 +159,10 @@ previous example.
 
 =item *
 
 
 =item *
 

-Avoid using grep() (or map()) or `backticks` in a void context, that is,
+Avoid using C<grep()> (or C<map()>) or `backticks` in a void context, that is,

 when you just throw away their return values.  Those functions all
 when you just throw away their return values.  Those functions all

-have return values, so use them.  Otherwise use a foreach() loop or
-the system() function instead.
+have return values, so use them.  Otherwise use a C<foreach()> loop or
+the C<system()> function instead.

 
 =item *
 
 
 =item *
 


@@ -181,10 +180,11 @@ you've got a problem.
 
 =item *
 
 
 =item *
 

-While short identifiers like $gotit are probably ok, use underscores to
-separate words.  It is generally easier to read $var_names_like_this than
-$VarNamesLikeThis, especially for non-native speakers of English. It's
-also a simple rule that works consistently with VAR_NAMES_LIKE_THIS.
+While short identifiers like C<$gotit> are probably ok, use underscores to
+separate words in longer identifiers.  It is generally easier to read
+C<$var_names_like_this> than C<$VarNamesLikeThis>, especially for
+non-native speakers of English. It's also a simple rule that works
+consistently with C<VAR_NAMES_LIKE_THIS>.

 
 Package names are sometimes an exception to this rule.  Perl informally
 reserves lowercase module names for "pragma" modules like C<integer> and
 
 Package names are sometimes an exception to this rule.  Perl informally
 reserves lowercase module names for "pragma" modules like C<integer> and


@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ or nature of a variable. For example:
     $no_caps_here    function scope my() or local() variables
 
 Function and method names seem to work best as all lowercase.
     $no_caps_here    function scope my() or local() variables
 
 Function and method names seem to work best as all lowercase.

-E.g., $obj-E<gt>as_string().
+E.g., C<$obj-E<gt>as_string()>.

 
 You can use a leading underscore to indicate that a variable or
 function should not be used outside the package that defined it.
 
 You can use a leading underscore to indicate that a variable or
 function should not be used outside the package that defined it.


@@ -216,14 +216,14 @@ Don't use slash as a delimiter when your regexp has slashes or backslashes.
 
 =item *
 
 
 =item *
 

-Use the new "and" and "or" operators to avoid having to parenthesize
+Use the new C<and> and C<or> operators to avoid having to parenthesize

 list operators so much, and to reduce the incidence of punctuation
 operators like C<&&> and C<||>.  Call your subroutines as if they were
 functions or list operators to avoid excessive ampersands and parentheses.
 
 =item *
 
 list operators so much, and to reduce the incidence of punctuation
 operators like C<&&> and C<||>.  Call your subroutines as if they were
 functions or list operators to avoid excessive ampersands and parentheses.
 
 =item *
 

-Use here documents instead of repeated print() statements.
+Use here documents instead of repeated C<print()> statements.

 
 =item *
 
 
 =item *
 


@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ to fit on one line anyway.
 =item *
 
 Always check the return codes of system calls.  Good error messages should
 =item *
 
 Always check the return codes of system calls.  Good error messages should

-go to STDERR, include which program caused the problem, what the failed
+go to C<STDERR>, include which program caused the problem, what the failed

 system call and arguments were, and (VERY IMPORTANT) should contain the
 standard system error message for what went wrong.  Here's a simple but
 sufficient example:
 system call and arguments were, and (VERY IMPORTANT) should contain the
 standard system error message for what went wrong.  Here's a simple but
 sufficient example:


@@ -261,10 +261,36 @@ Line up your transliterations when it makes sense:
 Think about reusability.  Why waste brainpower on a one-shot when you
 might want to do something like it again?  Consider generalizing your
 code.  Consider writing a module or object class.  Consider making your
 Think about reusability.  Why waste brainpower on a one-shot when you
 might want to do something like it again?  Consider generalizing your
 code.  Consider writing a module or object class.  Consider making your

-code run cleanly with C<use strict> and C<use warnings> (or B<-w>) in effect
-Consider giving away
-your code.  Consider changing your whole world view.  Consider... oh,
-never mind.
+code run cleanly with C<use strict> and C<use warnings> (or B<-w>) in
+effect.  Consider giving away your code.  Consider changing your whole
+world view.  Consider... oh, never mind.
+
+=item *
+
+Try to document your code and use Pod formatting in a consistent way. Here
+are commonly expected conventions:
+
+=over 4
+
+=item *
+
+use C<CE<lt>E<gt>> for function, variable and module names (and more
+generally anything that can be considered part of code, like filehandles
+or specific values). Note that function names are considered more readable
+with parentheses after their name, that is C<function()>.
+
+=item *
+
+use C<BE<lt>E<gt>> for commands names like B<cat> or B<grep>.
+
+=item *
+
+use C<FE<lt>E<gt>> or C<CE<lt>E<gt>> for file names. C<FE<lt>E<gt>> should
+be the only Pod code for file names, but as most Pod formatters render it
+as italic, Unix and Windows paths with their slashes and backslashes may
+be less readable, and better rendered with C<CE<lt>E<gt>>.
+
+=back

 
 =item *
 
 
 =item *