Naming Conventions

There is no reason for IFS to invent a completely new standard for this, so we base this on Microsoft's guidelines for .Net code.

If you have MSDN Library installed (you should have!)  you can find this under .NET Framework Reference.

MSDN is also available online at

• http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/x2dbyw72(vs.71).aspx  update to newer version, maybe http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms229002(v=vs.100).aspx ?

Naming Guidelines

Generally the use of underscore characters inside names and naming according to the guidelines for Hungarian notation are considered bad practice. Hungarian notation is a defined set of pre and postfixes which are applied to names to reflect the type of the variable. This style of naming was widely used in early Windows programming, but now is obsolete or at least should be considered deprecated. Using Hungarian notation is not allowed if you follow this guide. And remember - a good variable name describes the semantic, not the type.

An exception is UI controls.

Capitalization Styles

Pascal Casing

This convention capitalizes the first character of each word (as in TestCounter).

Camel Casing

This convention capitalizes the first character of each word except the first one. E.g. testCounter.

Class Naming Guidelines

• Class names must be nouns or noun phrases.
• Use Pascal Casing.
• Do not use any class prefix

Interface Naming Guidelines

• Name interfaces with nouns or noun phrases or adjectives describing behavior. (Example IComponent or IEnumberable)
• Use Pascal Casing.
• Use I as prefix for the name, it is followed by a capital letter (first char of the interface name)

Enum Naming Guidelines

• Use Pascal Casing for enum value names and enum type names
• Do not prefix (or suffix) a enum type or enum values
• Use singular names for enums
• Use plural name for bit fields.

ReadOnly and Const Field Names

• Name static fields with nouns, noun phrases or abbreviations for nouns
• Use Pascal Casing

Parameter/non const field Names

• Do use descriptive names, which should be enough to determine the variable meaning and its type. But prefer a name that's based on the parameter's meaning.
• Use Camel Casing

Method Names

• Name methods with verbs or verb phrases.
• Use Pascal Casing

Property Names

• Name properties using nouns or noun phrases
• Use Pascal Casing
• Consider naming a property with the same name as it's type

Event Names

• Name event handlers with the EventHandler suffix.
• Use two parameters named sender and e
• Use Pascal Casing
• Name event argument classes with the EventArgs suffix.
• Name event names that have a concept of pre and post using the present and past tense.
• Consider naming events using a verb.

Example   13: Naming convention for events

// Example of recommended naming
public event ServerInvokeEventHandler Invoking;
public event ServerInvokeEventHandler Invoked;

// Do not write like this
public event ServerInvokeEventHandler BeforeInvoke;
public event ServerInvokeEventHandler AfterInvoke;

Variable Names

• Counting variables are preferably called i, j, k, l, m, n when used in 'trivial' counting loops.
• Use Camel Casing

Suggested Prefixes for Controls

Use the default names for controls and add a suffix which describes the control. Example, if you pick a Button control and drop it on a form, it will be called button1. If this is a Cancel button, you should typically call it buttonCancel. A grid would typically be called datagridCustomers.

Suggested Prefixes for Menus

Applications frequently use many menu controls, making it useful to have a unique set of naming conventions for these controls. Menu control prefixes should be extended beyond the initial "menuItem" label by adding an additional prefix for each level of nesting, with the final menu caption at the end of the name string. The following table lists some examples.

Capitalization summary

Identifier	Casee	Example	Note
Class	Pascal	AppDomain
Enum type	Pascal	ErrorLevel
Enum values	Pascal	FatalError
Event	Pascal	ValueChange
Exception class	Pascall	WebException	Always ends with the suffix Exception.
Read-only Static field	Pascal	RedValue
Interface	Pascal	IDisposable	Always begins with the prefix I
Method	Pascal	ToString
Namespace	Pascal	System.Drawing
Parameter	Camel	typeName
Property	Pascal	BackColor
Protected instance field	Camel	redValue	Rarely used. A property is preferable to using a protected instance field.
Public instance field	Pascal	RedValue	Rarely used. A property is preferable to using a public instance field.