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Disentangling braces and semi-colons

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20 May 2012CPOL13 min read 23.1K   10   15
Disentangling the use of braces and semi-colons with a few boxes and my house.

Introduction

This article aims to provide a good fundamental explanation and analogy for the following general areas:

  • Scope
  • Use of semi-colons and curly-braces
  • Code Structure
  • Syntax
  • Methods
  • Variables
  • Brief note on Access Modifiers

This article assumes that you (the reader) have at least made some attempt at a C# Windows Forms program, even if that attempt is just crating the project in Visual Studio and running it.

Background

A few weeks ago a friend of mine started to learn to program. While he has been successfully picking up the basics doing the (very good) MSDN tutorials, he was struggling to get his head around the use of semi-colons (;) and curly braces ({}). So I wrote the following, originally document, to help explain it to him.

So lets start somewhere, what is “scope”?

The word “scope” is a little unclear to the beginner. So instead of using the word “scope”, we will call it a “box” and by box, I mean, a box.

So what are “boxes”?

Obvious isn’t it? A box contains things, and so do scopes. (I know I said I wouldn’t use that ghastly word but don’t worry). So boxes (scopes) contain things. Now when you are in a house full of boxes, the biggest container is the house. It is a global container. It contains all the boxes and programming has just the same, it has a house, a global container. This global container is, in fact, the programming language itself. So for example C# is the global container.

So what about these boxes (scopes)? Where do they fit into this?

Well naturally in a house you will have different types of boxes all labelled (named) something different and you will have boxes within boxes within boxes. So in the same way you have different types of scope, named different things and you can have scopes within scopes within scopes etc.

So the outermost box is always a namespace box. You will see this in C# highlighted blue. The namespace scope also has a name associated with it, and that is the name of our box. A namespace with a different name is a different box. So for example the following would define a namespace box (scope) called HelloWorld:

C#
namespace HelloWorld
{
} 

Aaah! What are those curly braces? Well, a box has sides right? The things that say how big the box is and where it is. Well the curly braces are just that, they are sides. The curly braces say where the box (scope) starts and where it ends. The { brace is an opening brace, a start brace, the brace that says “the top of the box is here”. The } brace says “the bottom of the box is here. This is where it stops.”

So curly braces define where the box is. Now within the namespace box you have class boxes. Classes define object types. So for instance I could create a class called Plane like so:

C#
class Plane
{
}

And that defines a type called Plane. This allows me to create objects of type Plane later. In other words, it allows me to create specific planes later, but all with the same structure. So class boxes go inside the namespace boxes, but what goes inside class boxes?

There are two main types of thing that go inside class boxes. These are variables and methods. Now variables have a type (such as integer, bool or Plane) and variables store data. You define a variable, then you set it to a value and then you do stuff with it but the variable itself doesn’t do anything, it just gets passed around as a bit of data that other lines of code can look at and go “Hey look that’s the data I want!”. You define a variable by saying what type it is, then what its name is. E.g.

C#
int MyInteger1;  

Now why oh why is there a semi colon? Well lines of code come in two types; Simple lines (statements) or complex (multiline, enclosing statements). The latter usually ends up defining a scope. So simple lines of code end in a semi-colon, complex, multiline statements or lines of code that define scope do not need a semi colon, they use curly braces. This is about as simple as it gets. So lets carry on and we’ll give more examples later.

But I haven’t set MyInteger1 to anything!? No, you don’t need to initially. You can define a variable and then the totally separate thing is setting it to have a value. So how do we set a variable to something? Well hopefully you know this is the assignment operator “=”. To set something you do “thing I want to set = the thing I want it to be set to” or in better terms “assign variable to value” which in code is “variable = value”. But these are simple lines so they need a semi colon. So the full thing becomes:

C#
MyInteger1 = 10; 

Where we have defined MyInteger1 earlier and 10 is the value we set it to. You will also see combined definition and assignment statements that give variables an initial value e.g.

C#
//Definiton        Assigment
int MyInteger = 10; 

But hold on a second, I’ve said variables go in classes, but I’ve seen them in methods too. How does that work? Well, almost anywhere, inside any box, so long as that box or the box that that box is in, is within a class box, you can define a variable. Now where you can use that variable is defined by the box it is in. You cannot access a variable outside the box it is in. You can, however, access that variable from anywhere inside the same box, even from a box within that box. So for instance:

C#
{
    {
        int MyVariable = 10;
        { 
            //A box within my variable’s box – I can access my variable here
        }
        //Inside the same box as my variable I can access it
    }
    //Outside the box of my variable, I can no longer access it
} 

At the end of this article there is a more info on “Access Modifiers” and why the above sample isn’t 100% true, but we’ll leave it as it is for now.

Now then what about methods? Well methods are multiline, complex statements (blocks). Methods also create a new box, a method box. And this method box contains a stack of lines of code which are always in the same order and when you open the box, you go through each line of code in order, doing what it tells you to do. Now these method boxes are (almost) always contained within class boxes. So to make a method box you need several things. You need to know the type of what the final result of going through the box will be. You need to know what it’s called and you need to know what stuff is required to go through the lines of code. In real terms these are called the Return type, Method Name and Arguments. But also since our method is a box, a method box, it needs curly braces to say where it starts and ends. So here is a full method box:

C#
void DoNothing(int AnArguement, int AnotherArguement)
{
}  

So what does this mean? Well void means the return type (result) is void, empty, nothing. The type void is type that defines nothingness. You could also use int but that would then require the method to return a result of type int. This is done using the return statement – you’ve come across this before. So this particular box has return type void, it returns nothing. It is then called DoNothing and then we have brackets. Now the brackets (parentheses) just tell the computer where the list of arguments start and stops. That’s all, nothing more. Arguments in the list then have a type and a name and are separated by commas. Very simple, very easy. Arguments just allow you to pass things into the method box for while it runs the code and new values are passed in for each time it runs the code. Finally, since this is a box and a box is a complex statement, we have curly braces but no semi-colon. I think this is now clear.

So what do we have when we see Form1?

Well we have several boxes all inside each other along with a few variables. Here’s an example:

using System; 
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace HelloWorld
{
    class Form1 : Form
    {
        string MessageString = "Hello world!";
                       
        void Form1() 
        {
            ShowMessage(MessageString);
        }
                       
        void ShowMessage(string TheMessage)
        {
            MessageBox.Show(TheMessage);
        }
    }
}  

So what does this all mean?

Well the first two lines are simple code lines and they are called “using statements”. They say that for the code in this file we will need to use the code inside the System box and System.Windows.Forms box – don’t worry that the second name contains the word System. What it means is that System.Windows.Forms is a namespace box, inside the System namespace box – don’t worry about the syntax for this, just accept that it is and don’t try using it for now – you shouldn’t have to at a beginner level.

Then we have namespace HelloWorld. This tells us we are in the HelloWorld namespace box. It starts at the first curly brace and the box ends at the corresponding end curly brace, which is the very last one. Now why is this?

Well just like when you have real boxes within boxes, the box that is inside cannot spill outside its containing box. So in the same way, scopes (code boxes) cannot spill outside each other. So when we start a box, it has to end before its container ends but after all the boxes within it have ended. So here we can see that the end for the namespace box has to be at the end of the file.

Now what about this bit? :

C#
class Form1 : Form 
{
    string MessageString = "Hello world!";
    void Form1()
    {
         ShowMessage(MessageString);
    }
    void ShowMessage(string TheMessage)
    {
        string StartOfMessage = "Message : ";
        MessageBox.Show(StartOfMessage  + TheMessage);
    }
} 

Well the word class tells us that we are creating a class box, and then Form1 gives this class box a name. Now the “ : Form” is tricky. It tells us that this new type (class box) called Form1 has all the stuff that is in the Form class box as well. So basically it gives us a load of stuff to use in our class from the outset. Just remember with this that you can only ever take stuff from one other box (type) so don’t try something like:

C#
class DummyClass : Form, TextBox 

That just wont work…

So we are now inside the class box that creates our form. That window you see when you run your program? That’s the form. So this class box contains variables and methods for the form. Remember variables store data; Methods define a set of instructions for the computer to follow. So our form contains one variable and two methods. The variable is “MessageString” and the methods are “void Form1()” and “void ShowMessage(string The Message)”. Now we are going to forget the “void Form1()” and why it is a unique method, just know that it’s there and it gets called whenever you create an object of type Form1. Back to the variable.

The variable is of type string (which is basically text, or in proper terms, an array of characters). It is called MessageString, and we assign it the initial value (i.e. we immediately set it to) the value “Hello world!”. Now since assignment and definition lines are simple lines, there is a semi colon.

The other method as yet unmentioned is the ShowMessage method. It has return type void, so it’s not going to have a result, it takes one argument – TheMessage. TheMessage is of type string and called TheMessage. The method contains two instructions, two lines of code.

C#
string StartOfMessage = "Message : ";
MessageBox.Show(StartOfMessage + TheMessage); 

The first line of code declares and initialises (create and sets) a variable of type string called StartOfMessage with the value “Message : “. Note it is a simple line, so has a semi-colon. This variable is within our method box. So when we leave our method box after finishing all the lines of code, this variable is lost, destroyed, gone. You can only access it within the ShowMessage method.

Now the second line of code is also simple line of code so it has a semi-colon at the end. What it does is pop up a message box that displays the value of StartOfMessage plus the value of (the data stored by) the variable TheMessage (the argument). So you see how data (variables) passed into the method can be used. But note that variables themselves don’t do anything of their own accord, you have write lines of code to manipulate them, i.e. do stuff with them.

So finally, our Form1() method calls the ShowMessage method passing in the value of MessageString as the argument value for TheMessage. In other words this is:

When the Form1() box is opened, it opens the ShowMessage box and puts in the value of MessageString (Hello world!) and calls it TheMessage. The ShowMessage box method then does as was described.

So the final thing to say is what other types of complex, multiline boxes there are. Well the next most common has to be the “if” block (box). The “if” box is a cross between a method and just a simple box. The syntax is:

C#
if (condition)
{ 
} 

The if box contains lines of code and is a multi-line thing so uses curly braces and does not need a semi-colon. However, it is also like calling a method. It needs one argument and that is the condition. Now to pass in this “argument” (though this is not the real name for it), we have to use the brackets, just as we would for a method. And the if “method” has one argument of type bool – (a bool is true or false value; a 1 or 0, a yes or no). So an example if box may be:

C#
if(ShouldShowMessage == true) 
{ 
     ShowMessage("A message");
}  

You see how the if box contains a simple line of code that has a semi-colon but the if box itself is multiline so doesn’t have a semi-colon.

But what about when I see this:

C#
if(condition)
    //Some line of code
else
    //Some line of code  

Why are there no curly braces? Well this is a very special case and it’s pretty unique to the if, else and else if code. To make code more compact, the curly braces can be omitted and then the box becomes just one line long – the //Some line of code. So in other words if the curly braces are omitted, our box is assumed to be one line in size.

So a final few things:

You have the else if or else blocks/boxes/scopes which are done after an if block – the syntax is similar and you’ve probably seen them before. If not, take a look at the syntax here and you’ll see the similarities. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/5011f09h.aspx

The last thing is that scopes can be defined in code when you feel like it just by using curly braces. You can create boxes that have no type at all, just by putting curly braces round stuff. E.g. I could do:

C#
{ 
    if(ShouldShowMessage)
    {
        {
             ShowMessage("A message");
        }
    }
}  

Which has two extra scopes (boxes) – one round the whole if block and one inside the if box round the ShowMessage line. Again these are boxes so don’t need semi-colons. However, they are fairly pointless and don’t add anything in this case.

You’ll notice I never mentioned those words you may have seen, Public and Private. These keywords are called Access Modifiers because the modify (change) what access things have. By default everything inside a box (scope) is hidden, everything is private. This means stuff outside the box can’t see it. If you make stuff inside the box public, stuff outside the box can see that stuff and can start to do things with it. Note: Public and private only work on 1) class boxes and 2) method boxes or variables that are within a class box. It does not work within a method box. I recommend you leave everything as private unless it has to be public – it’s safer that way J Just as a point, when you do MyObject.MyPublicVariable – the dot is like pulling out a drawer from the MyObject box that contains all the public stuff for you to see and then you picking out the MyPublicVariable.

I hope this now explains far better the workings and ways of scopes (boxes) and the use of semi-colon and curly braces. Remember, when I use the word box to mean a programming box in this article, you could equally put in the proper word scope.

History

20/5/12 - Article first published.

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


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Comments and Discussions

 
GeneralArrays Pin
PIEBALDconsult25-Jul-14 10:08
mvePIEBALDconsult25-Jul-14 10:08 
GeneralRe: Arrays Pin
Ed Nutting25-Jul-14 10:15
Ed Nutting25-Jul-14 10:15 
QuestionC# anomolies Pin
Michael Kingsford Gray21-May-12 20:27
Michael Kingsford Gray21-May-12 20:27 
AnswerRe: C# anomolies Pin
Ed Nutting22-May-12 2:40
Ed Nutting22-May-12 2:40 
GeneralRe: C# anomolies Pin
Michael Kingsford Gray22-May-12 3:05
Michael Kingsford Gray22-May-12 3:05 
GeneralRe: C# anomolies Pin
Ed Nutting22-May-12 3:16
Ed Nutting22-May-12 3:16 
GeneralRe: C# anomolies Pin
Michael Kingsford Gray22-May-12 4:06
Michael Kingsford Gray22-May-12 4:06 
GeneralRe: C# anomolies Pin
Ed Nutting22-May-12 4:16
Ed Nutting22-May-12 4:16 
GeneralRe: C# anomolies Pin
Michael Kingsford Gray22-May-12 4:24
Michael Kingsford Gray22-May-12 4:24 
GeneralRe: C# anomolies Pin
PIEBALDconsult25-Jul-14 10:26
mvePIEBALDconsult25-Jul-14 10:26 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
cjb11020-May-12 21:29
cjb11020-May-12 21:29 
GeneralRe: My vote of 5 Pin
Ed Nutting21-May-12 10:36
Ed Nutting21-May-12 10:36 
Thanks Smile | :) Yeah semi-colons was a tough one but it helped my friend so I thought at least it's a start Smile | :)

Ed
GeneralRe: My vote of 5 Pin
David A. Gray1-Aug-12 12:39
David A. Gray1-Aug-12 12:39 
GeneralRe: My vote of 5 Pin
Ed Nutting2-Aug-12 3:11
Ed Nutting2-Aug-12 3:11 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
TheCodingKing20-May-12 1:57
TheCodingKing20-May-12 1:57 

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