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Introduction

This document is intended for use by people who are either implementing code for aips++ or who are using aips++ libraries for their own work but are not actively extending the system.

While this document is meant for people who are actively writing code, it must be emphasized that work in the aips++ system should be proceeded by analysis and design phases unless the functionality is very straightforward. The methodology that the aips++ project has chosen is the Object Modeling Technique (OMT) ^1.1 or Rumbaugh methodology.

The Programmers Reference Manual is part of the aips++ Documentation System -- other titles which may be of interested include:

• System System installation and management.
• Getting Started in AIPS++ A User's guide to getting started in AIPS++.
• AIPS++ How to .* Useful tidbits from the AIPS++ group.

This manual assumes that you are reasonably fluent in C++. If that is not the case, we suggest that the following would make a good bookshelf of C++ books:

• The C++ Programming Language (Second Edition); Stroustrup (Addison Wesley:1991). This is a good introductory book (the first edition, however, was terrible).
• The C++ Primer???? (Second Edition); Lippman (Addison Wesley?:1991??). This is another good introductory book.
• The Annotated C++ Reference Manual; Ellis and Stroustrup (Addison Wesley:1990). This is the book the (unfinished) C++ standardization effort is based on. Until the language is standardized this is the "bible."
• Advanced C++: Programming Styles and Idioms; Coplien (Addison Wesley: 1992). A book that shows you how to do things when the more elementary techniques fail.
• Effective C++; Meyer (Addison Wesley:1992). A very useful compendium of things to know about programming in C++. You should probably be able to understand everything in this book before writing any aips++ classes.
• C++ Programming Guidelines; Plum and Saks (Plum Hall:1991). This book is dull reading by it has a lot of useful information.

Please let us (Brian Glendenning, bglenden@nrao.edu, or Wes Young, wyoung@nrao.edu) know of any enhancements or changes that you feel should be made to this document. If you are an aips2-worker you can of course make any additions or changes yourself (please, however, check with us first).

A word about Standards and guidelines. There are two competing views about these:

1.

That they are invaluable. A consistent "look and feel" allows you to much more quickly understand what the code is trying to do. Moreover, some standards will outlaw questionable practices and squash bugs before they can be written.

2.

They are not very important. The semantics of the code take all the time it takes to understand it. We're professional enough to understand what we're doing and rigid rules won't always work. Besides, I just gotta be me.

In aips++ we adopt the first view-point. It might only alleviate only the most superficial problems, but better something than nothing. The current list is not that large or onerous in any event. (In fact, for standards and guidelines to be followed, there must be few enough of them that it is reasonable to expect people to know them).