Re: question about code style specifically variable declaration using _ prefix

John Harrison wrote:
:: gara.matt@gmail.com wrote:
::: Hi,
:::
::: I was wondering, I've been reading some C++ code written by
::: others, usually libraries and stuff, and I've come across what
::: strikes me as a distinctive style that pervades most of the code
::: I've been reading. What I'm talking about is that some variables
::: are declared with a "_" prefix while others lack it. For example
::: you may find a variable and even functions like
:::
::: int _temp
:::
::: and one like
:::
::: int temp
:::
:::: From a Java perspective, this style is quite new to me, seeing
:::: as the
::: Java compiler does not accept variables of the aforementioned
::: type. I have, however, seen this used also in C, but not to the
::: same degree, and I have ignored it. But it has come to a point
::: where I see it so much that I think it carries some kind of
::: significance such that if I understood then I could grasp code
::: quicker.
:::
::: Explain away, or BS away, I'm willing to listen.
:::
::: Thanks,
:::
::: Matt
:::
::
:: I use that style to indicate member variables. I think it's
:: commonly accepted that it's good to distinguish member variables
:: from others (even in Java) but I'm often criticised here for my
:: particular way of doing it. I don't care, it's correct and I like
:: it.

I guess the criticism is that, although correct, a leading underscore
indicates that a name is now *either* a member variable, or a global
implementation-specific name, or possibly both.