Object names in the Java Object

[KevinViel]

In many examples, the object-reference (name) of the Java Object (javaobj) is one letter, often "j", "f", or "m". For example:

SAS® 9.4 Component Objects: Reference, Third Edition

Pg 78

/* DATA step code */

data _null_;

  dcl javaobj j("ttest");

  length val 8;

  length str $20;

  j.setIntField("i", 100);

  j.setDoubleField("d", 3.14159);

  j.setStringField("s", "abc");

  j.callIntMethod("im", val);

  put val=;

  j.callDoubleMethod("dm", val);

  put val=;

  j.callStringMethod("sm", str);

  put str=;

run;

Is this just convenience or is it meaningful?  I would tend to name it as informatively as possible, potentially with something like "__jo_" so that I can read my programs/logs with a program and find which used them.

However, if there is a reason, then less typing is always good 🙂

Thank you,

Kevin

[ybolduc]

Personnally, I suspect it is just to save a bunch of keystrokes. Same reason I often use i, j and k as iterators when their "meaning" is very obvious.

Also, short variable names have the benefit of considerably reducing the risks of typos...