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Some random points regarding our recently introduced use of clang-format:


* clang-format cannot automatically reformat code

Most comments in the code are written by humans, for humans. They are often placed in a way that makes it technically unclear what code they pertain to, relying on humans to nevertheless easily discern that. For example, in

void f(int x) { g(x + 1); } // long comment explaining how g internally subtracts one

the comment clearly pertains to the call to g. Yet, clang-format will reformat this to something like

void f(int x)
{
    g(x + 1);
} // long comment explaining how g internally subtracts one

instead of

void f(int x)
{
    g(x + 1); // long comment explaining how g internally subtracts one
}

thereby obscuring things. Always review automatically reformatted code for glitches like this.


* Don't reformat when moving an existing file

When moving an old file that is listed in solenv/clang-format/blacklist (so doesn't automatically get reformatted upon commit), adapt solenv/clang-format/blacklist to contain the new name, instead of provoking a reformat upon commit. Otherwise, if the reformatted code looks sufficiently different from the original, it's hard to impossible to keep track in the git history of which file was moved where.


* Keep your local .clang-format up to date

There's been changes to it, and there might be more coming (though that's hopefully getting less and less likely). If you create commits involving new files on an old master revision, you risk wrongly formatted code (and thus the need for reformatting follow-up commits) when that commit is eventually cherry-picked into the upstream git repo. "Pull early, pull often."

Context


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