Coding Guide

This document serves as the official code standards guide for BinaryObjectScanner internal development. Please note that this is a work in progress and may not encapsulate all standards expected of new or existing code.

General Code Guidelines

This section contains information on code standards regardless of which part of the project you are working in.

Style and Naming

Prefer System namespaces for supporting operations before external ones.
Ordering of using statements goes:
- using System.*
- using <Alphabetical>
- using static <Alphabetical>
- using X <Alphabetical> = Y
Use 4 spaces for tab.
Curly braces should generally start on the line after but inline with the start of the previous statement, even if multiline.
```
if (flag)
{
    DoSomething();
}
else if (flag2
    && flag3)
{
    DoSomething2();
}
```

Multi-line statements need to have following lines indented by one step at minimum.

if (flag)
{
    DoSomething();
}
else if (flag2
    && flag3
    && (flag4
        || flag5))
{
    DoSomething2();
}

Methods and classes should use PascalCase for naming, even internal and private ones.
Class properties should use PascalCase for naming, even protected and internal ones.
Instance variables should use camelCase with a _ prefix for naming, even protected, internal, and private ones.
In-method variables should use camelCase without a _ prefix for naming.
Include explicit access modifiers for all class-level properties, variables, and methods.
Avoid making everything public; only include the necessary level of access.
Avoid making every method and class instance-based. Use static if your method does not need to access instance variables. Use static if your class only contains extensions or methods used by other classes.
Null-coalescing and null-checking operators can be used to make more readable statements and better get across what a statement or string of statements is doing.
```
if (obj?.Parameter != null) { ... }

bool value = DoSomething() ?? false;
```

#region tags, including nested ones, can be used to both segment methods within a class and statements within a method. Indentation follows the surrounding code.

#region This is the first region

public static void Method()
{
    #region This is an in-code region

    DoSomething();

    #endregion

    DoSomething2();
}

#endregion

Try to avoid use of other preprocessor directives unless consulting ahead of time with the maintainers.

Interfaces should be listed in alphabetical order

public class Example : IBindable, IComparable, IEquatable

Use the <inheritdoc/> tag when possible to avoid out-of-date information.

public interface IInterface
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Summary to inherit
    /// </summary>
    void DoSomething();
}

public class Example : IInterface
{
    /// <inheritdoc/>
    public void DoSomething() { ... }
}

Methods

Try to avoid including too much duplicate code across methods and classes. If you have duplicate code that spans more than ~5 lines, consider writing a helper method.
Try to use expressive naming. e.g. use names like PrintSectionTitles and not DoTheThing.
Try to avoid having too many parameters in a method signature. More parameters means more things interacting.

Use method overloading to avoid unnecessary complexity in a single method.

Instead of:

Print(string idString, byte[] idArray, int idInt) { ... }

You should:

Print(string id) { ... }

Print(byte[] id) { ... }

Print(int id) { ... }

Use optional parameters when the default value is the most common.
```
Print(string id, bool toLower = false) { ... }
```

`if-else` and `switch` statement syntax

If all statements in the block are single-line, do not include curly braces.

if (flag)
    DoSomething();
else if (flag2)
    DoSomething2();
else
    DoSomethingElse();

If any of the statements is multi-line or the if-else statement is multi-line, include curly braces.

if (flag)
{
    DoSomething();
}
else if (flag2
    && flag3
    && flag4)
{
    DoSomething2();
}
else
{
    DoSomethingElse();
    DoSomethingEvenMore();
}

If comparing against values, try to use a switch statement instead.

As an if-else statement:

if (value == 1)
    DoValue1();
else if (value == 2)
    DoValue2();
else if (value == 3)
    DoValue3();
else
    DoValueDefault();

As a switch statement:

switch (value)
{
    case 1:
        DoValue1();
        break;
    case 2:
        DoValue2();
        break;
    case 3:
        DoValue3();
        break;
    default:
        DoValueDefault();
        break;
}

If comparing against values for assignment, try to use a switch expression instead.

As an if-else statement:

int x;
if (value == 1)
    x = 0;
else if (value == 2)
    x = 1;
else if (value == 3)
    x = 2;
else
    x = -1;

As a switch statement:

int x = value switch
{
    1 => 0,
    2 => 1,
    3 => 2,
    _ => -1,
}

When using a switch statement, if all switch cases are single-expression, they can be written in-line. You can also add newlines between cases for segmentation or clarity.If the expressions are too complex, they should not be.
```
switch (value)
{
    case 1: DoValue1(); break;
    case 2: DoValue2(); break;
    case 3: DoValue3(); break;

    default: DoValueDefault(); break;
}
```
When using a switch expression, cases that lead to the same value can be combined using or. This is not required, especially if readability would be sacrificed.
```
int x = value switch
{
    1 or 2 => 0,
    3 or 4 => 1,
    5 or 6 => 2,
    _ => -1,
}
```

If any of the switch cases are multi-expression, write all on separate lines. You can also add newlines between cases for segmentation or clarity.

switch (value)
{
    case 1:
        DoValue1();
        break;
    case 2:
        DoValue2();
        break;
    case 3:
        DoValue3();
        break;

    default:
        DoValueDefault();
        DoValueAsWell();
        break;
}

Commenting

All classes and methods should contain a summary block at bare minimum to explain the purpose. For methods, it is highly recommended to also include param tags for each parameter and a return tag if the method returns a value. Do not hesitate to use remarks as well to include additional information.

/// <summary>
/// This class is an example
/// </summary>
/// <remarks>
/// This class does nothing but it is useful to demonstrate
/// coding standards.
/// </remarks>
public class Example
{
    /// <summmary>
    /// This property is the name of the thing
    /// </summary>
    public string Name { get; private set; }

    /// <summary>
    /// This method is an example method
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="shouldPrint">Indicates if the value should be printed</param>
    /// <returns>A value between 1 and 10, or null on error</returns>
    public static int? PrintAndReturn(bool shouldPrint)
    {
        ...
    }
}

In-code comments should use the // syntax and not the /* */ syntax, even for multiple lines.

// This code block does something important
var x = SetXFromInputs(y, z);

// This code block does something really,
// really, really, really important and
// I need multiple lines to say so
var w = SetWFromInputs(x, y, z);

Comments should be expressive and fully explain what is being described. Try to avoid using slang, "pointed comments" such as "you should" or "we do".
Comments should avoid the use of first-person writing, such as "I think" or "We found".
If comments include links, they can either be included as-is or using the <see href="value"/> tag
```
// This information can be found from the following site:
// <see href="www.regex101.com"/>
```

Try to avoid using multiple, distinct comment blocks next to each other.

// We want to try to avoid this situation where
// we have multiple things to say.

// Here, the statements are not inherently linked
// but still need to go in the same area.
//
// But here the statements are logically linked but
// needed additional formatting

Project and Class Organization

This section contains information on project and class organization principles that depend on the part of the project you are working in. See the following table for details.

Project	Description
`BinaryObjectScanner`	One file per class. See below for details on subdirectories.
`BinaryObjectScanner/_EXTERNAL`	One directory per external project.
`BinaryObjectScanner/FileType`	One file per file type.
`BinaryObjectScanner/GameEngine`	At least one file per game engine. Partial classes allowed.
`BinaryObjectScanner/Interfaces`	One file per interface.
`BinaryObjectScanner/Packer`	At least one file per packer type. Partial classes allowed.
`BinaryObjectScanner/Protection`	At least one file per protection type. Partial classes allowed.
`ExtractionTool`	All functionality lives in `Program.cs`.
`ProtectionScan`	All functionality lives in `Program.cs`.

If the project or directory you are looking for is not included in the above, please consider it to be outside the context of this document.

Code Organization

This section contains information on in-code organization principles that depend on the part of the project you are working in. See the following table for details.

Typed checks, such as IExecutableCheck<T> should always follow this order: MSDOS, LinearExecutable, NewExecutable, PortableExecutable.

Project	Description
`BinaryObjectScanner`	Varies from file to file.
`BinaryObjectScanner/FileType`	`IDetectable` implementations, `IExtractable` implementations, helper methods.
`BinaryObjectScanner/GameEngine`	`IContentCheck` implementations, `IExecutableCheck<T>` implementations, `IPathCheck` implementations, `IExtractableExecutable<T>` implementations, helper methods.
`BinaryObjectScanner/Interfaces`	Methods ordered alphabetically.
`BinaryObjectScanner/Packer`	`IContentCheck` implementations, `IExecutableCheck<T>` implementations, `IPathCheck` implementations, `IExtractableExecutable<T>` implementations, helper methods.
`BinaryObjectScanner/Protection`	`IContentCheck` implementations, `IExecutableCheck<T>` implementations, `IPathCheck` implementations, `IExtractableExecutable<T>` implementations, helper methods.
`ExtractionTool`	New functionality should be added as a combination of a flag with a long and a short form, a new line in the help text, and a new method (if necessary).
`ProtectionScan`	New functionality should be added as a combination of a flag with a long and a short form, a new line in the help text, and a new method (if necessary).

If the project or directory you are looking for is not included in the above, please consider it to be outside the context of this document.

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General Code Guidelines

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Project and Class Organization

Code Organization

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Coding Guide

General Code Guidelines

Style and Naming

Methods

if-else and switch statement syntax

Commenting

Project and Class Organization

Code Organization

`if-else` and `switch` statement syntax