Chapter 5 -- Using Constants and Enumerations

[Previous] [Next]

Chapter 5

When you hard-code numbers in your procedures, a myriad of things can go wrong. Hard-coded numbers are generally referred to as "magic numbers" because they're often shrouded in mystery; the meaning of such a number is obscure because the digits themselves give no indication as to what the number represents. This chapter discusses the drawbacks of magic numbers and offers alternatives using constants and enumerations.