4.3.3. Indentation

Controls the indentation settings.

4.3.3.1. General

Lets you change the general indentation settings.

4.3.3.1.1. Policy

Lets you choose the way lines should be indented.

Standard indent

With standard indentation, lines will be indented according to the current indentation level (Note that the indentation level changes as the block or parentheses level changes).

Example 4.30. Method declaration (standard indented)

public void severalParameters(String one, int two, String three,
    StringObject four, AnotherObject five) {
...
}

Example 4.31. Method Call (standard indented)

vector.add(new AppServerReference(
        "RemoteApplicationManager",
        poa.create_reference_with_id("RemoteApplicationManager".getBytes(),
            RemoteApplicationManagerHelper.id())));

Example 4.32. Assignment (standard indented)

doublette[InteressentenPflegeController.GEBURTSDATUM] = versichertenResultSetRow[i].field[0]
    .substring(0, 2) + "."
    + versichertenResultSetRow[i].field[0].substring(2, 4) + "."
    + versichertenResultSetRow[i].field[0].substring(4, 6);

Deep indent

Deep indentation means that lines will be indented relative to the current parentheses or assignment offset. This way consecutive code sections are somewhat easier to recognize at the downside of consuming more horizontal space.

Example 4.33. Method declaration (deep indented)

public void severalParameters(String one, int two, String three,
                              StringObject four, AnotherObject five) {
    ...
}

Example 4.34. Method Call (deep indented)

this.add(lbPunktzahl,
         new GridBagLayout(0, 1, 2, 1, 0.0, 0.0,
                           GribBagConstraints.WEST,
                           GribBagConstraints.NONE,
                           new Insets(0, GribBagConstraints.WEST,
                                      GribBagConstraints.WEST,
                                      GribBagConstraints.WEST), 0, 0));

Example 4.35. Assignment (deep indented)

doublette[Controller.GEBURTSDATUM] = versichertenResultSetRow[i].field[0]
                                     .substring(0, 2) + "."
                                     + versichertenResultSetRow[i].field[0]
                                       .substring(2, 4)
                                     + "."
                                     + versichertenResultSetRow[i].field[0]
                                       .substring(4, 6);

4.3.3.1.2. Sizes

Lets you set different indentation sizes.

General indent

Specifies the number of spaces to use for general indentation (Studies have found that 2 to 4 spaces for indentation is optimal)

Example 4.36. 2 space general indent

public class Preferences
{
->private Preferences()
->{
->}

->public static void main(String[] argv)
->{
->->de.hunsicker.jalopy.swing.PreferencesDialog.main(argv);
->}
}

Example 4.37. 4 space general indent

public class Preferences
{
--->private Preferences()
--->{
--->}

--->public static void main(String[] argv)
--->{
--->--->de.hunsicker.jalopy.swing.PreferencesDialog.main(argv);
--->}
}

Leading indent

Specifies the number of spaces to prepend before every line printed.

Example 4.38. 6 space leading indent

----->public class Preferences
----->{
----->    private Preferences()
----->    {
----->    }

----->    public static void main(String[] argv)
----->    {
----->        de.hunsicker.jalopy.swing.PreferencesDialog.main(argv);
----->    }
----->}

Continuation indent

Specifies the number of spaces that should be inserted in front of continuation lines, i.e. the consecutive lines in case of a line wrap.

Example 4.39. 2 space continuation indent

if ((condition1 && condition2)
    ->|| (condition3 && condition4)
    ->|| !(condition5 && condition6)) {
    doSomethingAboutIt();
}

Example 4.40. 4 space continuation indent

if ((condition1 && condition2)
    --->|| (condition3 && condition4)
    --->|| !(condition5 && condition6)) {
    doSomethingAboutIt();
}

Trailing comment indent

Specifies the number of spaces to insert between trailing comments and the preceding statement.

Example 4.41. 3 space trailing comment indent

new String[] {
    "Sunday",-->// Sunday
    "Monday",-->// Monday
    "Tuesday",-->// Tuesday
    "Wednesday",-->// Wednesday
    "Thursday",-->// Thursday
    "Friday",-->// Friday
    "Saturday"-->// Saturday
}

Original Tab indent
Specifies the original tabular size of the source code. Some indentations or alignments may fail, if you miss the correct size here.
Extends indent
If enabled, specifies the whitespace to print before the extends keyword in case it was printed on a new line.
Example 4.42. extends indentation with 6 spaces
public interface Channel ------>extends Puttable, Takable { ... }
Implements indent
Specifies the whitespace to print before the implements keyword in case it was printed on a new line.
Example 4.43. implements indentation with 8 spaces
public class SynchronizedBoolean ------->implements Comparable, Cloneable { ... }

Throws indent

Specifies the whitespace to print before the throws keyword in case it was printed on a new line.

Example 4.44. throws indentation with 3 spaces

private static final File getDestinationFile(File dest, String packageName,
                                             String filename)
-->throws IOException, FooException
{
    ...
}

4.3.3.2. Misc

Use tabs to indent
Normally, Jalopy uses spaces to indent lines. If you prefer tabs, check this box.

Indent "case" from "switch"

The Sun Java code convention recommends a switch style where case statements are not indented relative to the switch statement as a whole. However, this option allows you to indent the case statements to make the entire switch statement stand out.

Example 4.45. Switch statement (unindented)

switch (prio)
{
case Priority.ERROR_INT :
case Priority.FATAL_INT :
    color = Color.red;
    break;

case Priority.WARN_INT :
    color = Color.blue;
    break;

default:
    color = Color.black;
    break;
}

Example 4.46. Switch statement (indented)

switch (prio)
{
--->case Priority.ERROR_INT :
--->case Priority.FATAL_INT :
--->    color = Color.red;
--->    break;

--->case Priority.WARN_INT :
--->    color = Color.blue;
--->    break;

--->default:
--->    color = Color.black;
--->    break;
}

Indent labels

Specifies whether lables should be indented with the current indentation level.

Example 4.47. Unindented label

// advance to the first CLASS_DEF or INTERFACE_DEF
LOOP:
        for (AST child = tree.getFirstChild();
             child != null;
             child = child.getNextSibling())
        {
            switch (child.getType())
            {
                case JavaTokenTypes.CLASS_DEF :
                case JavaTokenTypes.INTERFACE_DEF :
                    next = child;
                    break LOOP;
                default :
                    break;
            }
        }

Example 4.48. Indented label

        // advance to the first CLASS_DEF or INTERFACE_DEF
        LOOP:
        for (AST child = tree.getFirstChild();
             child != null;
             child = child.getNextSibling())
        {
            switch (child.getType()) {
                case JavaTokenTypes.CLASS_DEF :
                case JavaTokenTypes.INTERFACE_DEF :
                    next = child;
                    break LOOP;

                default :
                    break;
            }
        }

Indent first column comments

Normally, all comments will be indented relative to their position in the code to avoid that comments break the logical structure of the program. Some developers may like to disable the indentation for first column comments during the developing phase.

Example 4.49. First column comment (indented)

    public static Printer create(AST node)
    {

        /*
        if (node == null)
        {
            return new NullPrinter();
        }
        */
        return create(node.getType());
    }

Example 4.50. First column comment (unindented)

    public static Printer create(AST node)
    {

/*
        if (node == null)
        {
            return new NullPrinter();
        }
*/
        return create(node.getType());
    }

4.3.3.3. Align

Variable identifiers

If enabled, aligns the identifiers of variable declarations.

Example 4.51. Variable identifiers

String text = "text";
int a = -1;
History.Entry entry = new History.Entry(text);

Example 4.52. Variable identifiers (aligned)

String        text = "text";
int           a = -1;
History.Entry entry = new History.Entry(text);

Variable assignments
If enabled, aligns the assignment parts of variable declarations or, surprise, assignments.
Example 4.53. Variable assignments (aligned)
String text = "text"; int a = -1; History.Entry entry = new History.Entry(text);
If both variable alignment options are enabled, you can achieve a style like the following:
Example 4.54. Variable identifiers/assignments (both aligned)
String text = "text"; int a = -1; History.Entry entry = new History.Entry(text);
Method Def parameters
If enabled, aligns the parameters of method declarations. This only applies if all parameters will be wrapped; either because wrapping is forced or the max. line length is reached. To force aligning, you have to enable the wrapping for method parameters (See Method Def parameters).
Example 4.55. Method declaration parameters
public static File create(final File file, File directory, int backupLevel) { ... }
Example 4.56. Method declaration parameters (aligned)
public static File create(final File file, File directory, int backupLevel) { ... }

Method Call chains

If disabled, indentation happens according to the current indentation level.

Example 4.57. Method Call chain (standard indented)

Fachschluesselerzeugung.createService()
.getNeuerFachschluesselServiceService(
    FachschluesselerzeugungService.FACHSCHLUESSEL_KZ_INTERESSENT);

Otherwise indentation is performed relative to the column offset of the first chain link.

Example 4.58. Method Call chain (aligned)

Fachschluesselerzeugung.createService()
                       .getNeuerFachschluesselServiceService(
                            FachschluesselerzeugungService.FACHSCHLUESSEL_KZ_INTERESSENT);

Ternary expressions
If disabled, ternary expressions are printed according to the current indentation policy.
Example 4.59. Ternary operators (standard indented)
alpha = (aLongBooleanExpression) ? beta | : gamma; |
Example 4.60. Ternary operators (deep indented)
alpha = (aLongBooleanExpression) ? beta | : gamma; |
If enabled, the second operator will always be aligned relative to the first one.
Example 4.61. Ternary expresssions (aligned)
alpha = (aLongBooleanExpression) ? beta | : gamma; |
Note that this switch only takes affect, if indeed a line break was inserted before the second expression. You can force such line breaks with the Wrap always before ternary expression colon setting.

4.3.3.4. Continuation

Lets you specify extra indentation for consectutive lines of certain expressions.

Blocks
The Sun brace style could make seeing the statement body difficult. To workaround this problem, you may want to use continuation indentation in case you like this brace style. This setting applies for if, for, while and do-while blocks.
Example 4.62. Non-continuation indentation
if ((condition1 && condition2) || (condition3 && condition4) || !(condition5 && condition6)) { // BAD WRAPS doSomethingAboutIt(); // MAKE THIS LINE EASY TO MISS }
Example 4.63. Continuation indentation
if ((condition1 && condition2) || (condition3 && condition4) || !(condition5 && condition6)) { doSomethingAboutIt(); }
Refer to Section 4.3.1.1.1, “Styles” for the available brace style options.
Operators
If enabled, indentation will be increased before an operand will be printed.
Example 4.64. Ternary expression (deep indented)
String comma = spaceAfterComma --->? COMMA_SPACE --->: COMMA;