Re: [Simulavr-devel] Script to count tab spaces in source files

[Petr Hluzín]

On 4 January 2012 16:34, ThomasK <address@hidden> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've commited now a script to count all tab spaces from source files in
> simulavr workspace. Goal is to reduce step by step tab spaces from source
> files.

Are you aware that spaces-vs-tabs issue is a holy war which has been
going on for decades and remains unsolved?
It is unlikely that anyone finds a solution people would like. Maybe
if the solution was implemented in an editor.

>
> Why? Usually developers use different editors, as they like. And also
> different settings. And one of such setting is the size of tab space. So a
> good indented (and readable and understandable!) source code on one
> developer look terrible for an other. AND this guy will start changing the
> indentation again. The result is: we get changes only in whitespace! If this
> guy makes at first such changes and commit this (and write this also in
> commit comment!), then it's easy to filter. But this isn't so in every case
> and it's more hard to review changes, more hard to maintain code and to
> understand it and so one. (sure, there are reasons for tab's but not for
> using indentation by tab space character!)
>
> So, it's better to use SOFT-Tabs! Simulavr uses for this a tab space of 4
> characters.

What is SOFT-Tabs? Indenting using 4 spaces? (If yes, then it is
indentation using spaces, not soft-tabs.)

There are reasons for tabs for indentation. Selecting text is more
precise/faster and navigating using cursor keys is faster. Everyone
gets the visual amount of indentation they prefer. The formating using
spaces will not look horrible on other person's editor - if the author
used tabs correctly. They call it SmartTabs, it seems.
http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/SmartTabs

I think it is lame to commit changes which only change whitespace.
Possible exception is to change few lines that are inconsistent with
lines immediately above and below.

I try to avoid changing indentation while changing code. Sometimes I slip.

-- 
Petr Hluzin