- use Unix line endings ('\\n'); do NOT use DOS endings ('\\r\\n')
- limit adjacent empty lines to at most two (2).
- remove any trailing empty lines at the end of source files
-- do not "comment out" code from the tree; instead, one should either:
- -# remove it entirely (Subversion can retrieve the old version), or
- -# use an @c \#if/\#endif block.
-
-Finally, try to avoid lines of code that are longer than than 72-80 columns:
+- do not "comment out" code from the tree nor put it within a block
+ @code
+ #if 0
+ ...
+ #endif
+ @endcode
+ otherwise it would never be checked at compile time and when new
+ patches get merged it could be not compilable anymore.
+ Code that is not fully working nor ready for submission should
+ instead be removed entirely (git can retrieve the old version).
+ For exceptional cases that require keeping some unused code, let
+ the compiler check it by putting it in a block
+ @code
+ if (false) {
+ /* explain why this code should be kept here */
+ ...
+ }
+ @endcode
+- in a @c switch statement align the @c switch with the @c case label
+ @code
+ switch (dev_id) {
+ case 0x0123:
+ size = 0x10000;
+ break;
+ case 0x0412:
+ size = 0x20000;
+ break;
+ default:
+ size = 0x40000;
+ break;
+ }
+ @endcode
+- in an <tt> if / then / else </tt> statement, if only one of the conditions
+ require curly brackets due to multi-statement block, put the curly brackets
+ also to the other condition
+ @code
+ if (x > 0)
+ a = 12 + x;
+ else
+ a = 24;
+ @endcode
+ @code
+ if (x > 0) {
+ a = 12 + x;
+ } else {
+ a = 24;
+ x = 0;
+ }
+ @endcode
+
+Finally, try to avoid lines of code that are longer than 72-80 columns:
- long lines frequently indicate other style problems:
- insufficient use of static functions, macros, or temporary variables
- a few lines may be wider than this limit (typically format strings), but:
- all C compilers will concatenate series of string constants.
- all long string constants should be split across multiple lines.
+ - do never exceed 120 columns.
@section stylenames Naming Rules
- most identifiers must use lower-case letters (and digits) only.
- macros must use upper-case letters (and digits) only.
- OpenOCD identifiers should NEVER use @c MixedCaps.
-- structure names must end with the '_s' suffix.
-- typedef names must end with the '_t' suffix.
+- @c typedef names must end with the '_t' suffix.
+ - This should be reserved for types that should be passed by value.
+ - Do @b not mix the typedef keyword with @c struct.
- use underline characters between consecutive words in identifiers
(e.g. @c more_than_one_word).
+@section style_include_guards Include Guards
+
+Every header file should have a unique include guard to prevent multiple
+inclusion.
+To guarantee uniqueness, an include guard should be based on the filename and
+the full path in the project source tree.
+
+For the header file src/helper/jim-nvp.h, the include guard would look like
+this:
+
+@code
+#ifndef OPENOCD_HELPER_JIM_NVP_H
+#define OPENOCD_HELPER_JIM_NVP_H
+
+/* Your code here. */
+
+#endif /* OPENOCD_HELPER_JIM_NVP_H */
+@endcode
+
@section stylec99 C99 Rules
- inline functions
- @c // comments -- in new code, prefer these for single-line comments
- trailing comma allowed in enum declarations
-- designated initializers (@{ .field = value @})
-- variables declarations may be mixed with code
+- designated initializers ( .field = value )
+- variables declarations should occur at the point of first use
- new block scopes for selection and iteration statements
+- use malloc() to create dynamic arrays. Do @b not use @c alloca
+or variable length arrays on the stack. non-MMU hosts(uClinux) and
+pthreads require modest and predictable stack usage.
+
+@section styletypes Type Guidelines
+- use native types (@c int or <tt> unsigned int </tt>) if the type is not important
+ - if size matters, use the types from \<stdint.h\> or \<inttypes.h\>:
+ - @c int8_t, @c int16_t, @c int32_t, or @c int64_t: signed types of specified size
+ - @c uint8_t, @c uint16_t, @c uint32_t, or @c uint64_t: unsigned types of specified size
+ - use the associated @c printf and @c scanf formatting strings for these types
+ (e.g. @c PRId8, PRIx16, SCNu8, ...)
+ - do @b NOT redefine @c uN types from "types.h"
+ - use type @c target_addr_t for target's address values
+ - prefer type <tt> unsigned int </tt> to type @c unsigned
@section stylefunc Functions
-- static inline functions should be prefered over macros:
+- static inline functions should be preferred over macros:
@code
-/** do NOT define macro-like functions like this... */
+/* do NOT define macro-like functions like this... */
#define CUBE(x) ((x) * (x) * (x))
-/** instead, define the same expression using a C99 inline function */
+/* instead, define the same expression using a C99 inline function */
static inline int cube(int x) { return x * x * x; }
@endcode
- Functions should be declared static unless required by other modules
int y = f(x1, x2 - x1);
...
}
+@endcode
+- Separate assignment and logical test statements. In other words, you
+should write statements like the following:
+@code
+// separate statements should be preferred
+result = foo();
+if (result != ERROR_OK)
+ ...
+@endcode
+More directly, do @b not combine these kinds of statements:
+@code
+// Combined statements should be avoided
+if ((result = foo()) != ERROR_OK)
+ return result;
+@endcode
+- Do not compare @c bool values with @c true or @c false but use the
+ value directly
+@code
+if (!is_enabled)
+ ...
+@endcode
+- Avoid comparing pointers with @c NULL
+@code
+buf = malloc(buf_size);
+if (!buf) {
+ LOG_ERROR("Out of memory");
+ return ERROR_FAIL;
+}
@endcode
*/
* in blocks such as the one in which this example appears in the Style
* Guide. See the Doxygen Manual for the full list of commands.
*
- * @param foo For a function, describe the parameters (e.g. @a foo).
+ * @param foo For a function, describe the parameters (e.g. @a foo).
* @returns The value(s) returned, or possible error conditions.
*/
@endverbatim
- -# The block should start on the line following the opening @c /**.
- -# The end of the block, \f$*/\f$, should also be on its own line.
+ -# The block should start on the line following the opening @c /\**.
+ -# The end of the block, @c *‍/, should also be on its own line.
-# Every line in the block should have a @c '*' in-line with its start:
- - A leading space is required to align the @c '*' with the @c /** line.
+ - A leading space is required to align the @c '*' with the @c /\** line.
- A single "empty" line should separate the function documentation
from the block of parameter and return value descriptions.
- Except to separate paragraphs of documentation, other extra
"empty" lines should be removed from the block.
-# Only single spaces should be used; do @b not add mid-line indentation.
-# If the total line length will be less than 72-80 columns, then
- - The @c /**< form can be used on the same line.
+ - The @c /\**< form can be used on the same line.
- This style should be used sparingly; the best use is for fields:
- @code int field; /**< field description */ @endcode
+ @verbatim int field; /**< field description */ @endverbatim
@section styledoxyall Doxygen Style Guide
-# @c function_name() can be used to reference functions
(e.g. flash_set_dirty()).
-# @c struct_name::member_name should be used to reference structure
- fields in the documentation (e.g. @c flash_driver_s::name).
+ fields in the documentation (e.g. @c flash_driver::name).
-# URLS get converted to markup automatically, without any extra effort.
- -# new pages can be linked into the heirarchy by using the @c \@subpage
+ -# new pages can be linked into the hierarchy by using the @c \@subpage
command somewhere the page(s) under which they should be linked:
-# use @c \@ref in other contexts to create links to pages and sections.
-# Use good Doxygen mark-up:
- Doxygen creates such pages for files automatically, but no content
will appear on them for those that only contain manual pages.
- The \@file block should provide useful meta-documentation to assist
- techincal writers; typically, a list of the pages that it contains.
+ technical writers; typically, a list of the pages that it contains.
- For example, the @ref styleguide exists in @c doc/manual/style.txt,
which contains a reference back to itself.
-# The \@file and \@page commands should begin on the same line as
@endverbatim
For an example, the Doxygen source for this Style Guide can be found in
-@c doc/manual/style.txt, alongside other parts of The Manual.
+@c doc/manual/style.txt, alongside other parts of The Manual.
*/
/** @page styletexinfo Texinfo Style Guide
-This page needs to provide style guidelines for Texinfo, the mark-up
-language used by The Guide for OpenOCD Users.
+The User's Guide is there to provide two basic kinds of information. It
+is a guide for how and why to use each feature or mechanism of OpenOCD.
+It is also the reference manual for all commands and options involved
+in using them, including interface, flash, target, and other drivers.
+At this time, it is the only documentation for end users; everything
+else is addressing OpenOCD developers.
+
+There are two key audiences for the User's Guide, both developer based.
+The primary audience is developers using OpenOCD as a tool in their
+work, or who may be starting to use it that way. A secondary audience
+includes developers who are supporting those users by packaging or
+customizing it for their hardware, installing it as part of some software
+distribution, or by evolving OpenOCD itself. There is some crossover
+between those audiences. We encourage contributions from users as the
+fundamental way to evolve and improve OpenOCD. In particular, creating
+a board or target specific configuration file is something that many
+users will end up doing at some point, and we like to see such files
+become part of the mainline release.
+
+General documentation rules to remember include:
+
+- Be concise and clear. It's work to remove those extra words and
+ sentences, but such "noise" doesn't help readers.
+- Make it easy to skim and browse. "Tell what you're going to say,
+ then say it". Help readers decide whether to dig in now, or
+ leave it for later.
+- Make sure the chapters flow well. Presentations should not jump
+ around, and should move easily from overview down to details.
+- Avoid using the passive voice.
+- Address the reader to clarify roles ("your config file", "the board you
+ are debugging", etc.); "the user" (etc) is artificial.
+- Use good English grammar and spelling. Remember also that English
+ will not be the first language for many readers. Avoid complex or
+ idiomatic usage that could create needless barriers.
+- Use examples to highlight fundamental ideas and common idioms.
+- Don't overuse list constructs. This is not a slide presentation;
+ prefer paragraphs.
+
+When presenting features and mechanisms of OpenOCD:
+
+- Explain key concepts before presenting commands using them.
+- Tie examples to common developer tasks.
+- When giving instructions, you can \@enumerate each step both
+ to clearly delineate the steps, and to highlight that this is
+ not explanatory text.
+- When you provide "how to use it" advice or tutorials, keep it
+ in separate sections from the reference material.
+- Good indexing is something of a black art. Use \@cindex for important
+ concepts, but don't overuse it. In particular, rely on the \@deffn
+ indexing, and use \@cindex primarily with significant blocks of text
+ such as \@subsection. The \@dfn of a key term may merit indexing.
+- Use \@xref (and \@anchor) with care. Hardcopy versions, from the PDF,
+ must make sense without clickable links (which don't work all that well
+ with Texinfo in any case). If you find you're using many links,
+ read that as a symptom that the presentation may be disjointed and
+ confusing.
+- Avoid font tricks like \@b, but use \@option, \@file, \@dfn, \@emph
+ and related mechanisms where appropriate.
+
+For technical reference material:
+
+- It's OK to start sections with explanations and end them with
+ detailed lists of the relevant commands.
+- Use the \@deffn style declarations to define all commands and drivers.
+ These will automatically appear in the relevant index, and those
+ declarations help promote consistent presentation and style.
+ - It's a "Command" if it can be used interactively.
+ - Else it's a "Config Command" if it must be used before the
+ configuration stage completes.
+ - For a "Driver", list its name.
+ - Use EBNF style regular expressions to define parameters:
+ brackets around zero-or-one choices, parentheses around
+ exactly-one choices.
+ - Use \@option, \@file, \@var and other mechanisms where appropriate.
+ - Say what output it displays, and what value it returns to callers.
+ - Explain clearly what the command does. Sometimes you will find
+ that it can't be explained clearly. That usually means the command
+ is poorly designed; replace it with something better, if you can.
+ - Be complete: document all commands, except as part of a strategy
+ to phase something in or out.
+ - Be correct: review the documentation against the code, and
+ vice versa.
+- Alphabetize the \@defn declarations for all commands in each
+ section.
+- Keep the per-command documentation focused on exactly what that
+ command does, not motivation, advice, suggestions, or big examples.
+ When commands deserve such expanded text, it belongs elsewhere.
+ Solutions might be using a \@section explaining a cluster of related
+ commands, or acting as a mini-tutorial.
+- Details for any given driver should be grouped together.
+
+The User's Guide is the first place most users will start reading,
+after they begin using OpenOCD. Make that investment of their time
+be as productive as possible. Needing to look at OpenOCD source code,
+to figure out how to use it is a bad sign, though it's OK to need to
+look at the User's guide to figure out what a config script is doing.
*/
/** @page stylelatex LaTeX Style Guide
This page provides some style guidelines for using Perl, a scripting
language used by several small tools in the tree:
--# Ensure all Perl scripts use the proper suffix (@c .pl for scripts, and
+-# Ensure all Perl scripts use the proper suffix (@c .pl for scripts, and
@c .pm for modules)
-# Pass files as script parameters or piped as input:
- Do NOT code paths to files in the tree, as this breaks out-of-tree builds.
Maintainers must also be sure to follow additional guidelines:
-# Ensure that Perl scripts are committed as executables:
- - Use "<code>chmod +x script.pl</code>"
- @a before using "<code>svn add script.pl</code>", or
- - Use "<code>svn ps svn:executable '*' script.pl</code>"
- @a after using "<code>svn add script.pl</code>".
+ Use "<code>chmod +x script.pl</code>"
+ @a before using "<code>git add script.pl</code>"
*/
/** @page styleautotools Autotools Style Guide
This page contains style guidelines for the OpenOCD autotools scripts.
-The following guidelines apply to the @c configure.in file:
+The following guidelines apply to the @c configure.ac file:
- Better guidelines need to be developed, but until then...
- Use good judgement.