I'd say there's one issue with your logic.... If all you mean by conditional
processing is a bunch of extra IF's and CFSWITCH's etc, then the speed impact
of those compared to database queries should be negligible.
For example, if you have 10 different paths through your big cfc method, based
on your arguments, but each path is as tight as it can be (no redundant
queries, file access etc... only what you need for that path, etc) then you
wouldnt be adding any speed by breaking it up.
That said, however, the larger and more complex your single method becomes, the
less maintainable it will be, and more difficult to debug. In fact, my last
resort for long debugging sessions in cases like this IS to break a large
method up.
So, the answer is, no it probably won't speed things up if there are no steps
you can eliminate (plain IFs and Switches are not speed killers compared to
extra redundant query or file I/O), but YES, you should split things up in
certain places...
Example: let's say you have something like this:
function bigMethod(arg1, arg2, .... argn){
set sql="";
if (this or that) sql+="something";
else { more stuff }
switch (arg3){
case a:
sql+= something else...
...
...
}
if (arg4){ return QUERY x with sql string}
if (arg5) Return query y with sql string...
}
To break things up, you should think about 2 things. The methods you are
offerring consumers of your CFC , as well as private utility methods, etc.
First break up internal processing into private methods a little bit. This will
help you create building blocks. For example....
If you always need to format your query results, make a private method called
formatResults(Qry).
If you always need to build dynamic sql (Even if the FROM tables might differ)
create buildDynamicColumnList(arg-list) and buildDynamicCriteria(arg-list)
If you need to add session/application/permissions, create a
addPermissions(userid) to return custom SQL to append to any query. (Ex: and
UserID=#session.userid#)
If you always need to dynamically select tables, make a selectTables(args)
function
Then your complicated function will look like this:
bigFunction (args) {
set sql=" SELECT " & buildDynamicQuery(args) & " FROM "& selectTables(args)
& " WHERE " & buildDynamicCriteria(args) & " AND "&
addPermissions(session.userid);
<CFQUERY name="foo"> #sql...#</cfquery>
return #formatResults(foo)#
}
This is just an example off the top of my head. Something along these lines
will make the internal code easier to follow, easy to maintain, and also allow
you to have multiple smaller public methods which dont have code that needs
lots of changes when a database table is renamed, etc.
Hope this makes some sense (Too early for what I wrote to make complete sense,
I'm sure)
-Dov
>Hi,
>
>I have a gateway CFC that returns queries for medications. Medications are
>complex things that have many properties and require many tables to store
>all the info. As well, there are hundreds of different ways to query the
>meds.
>
>My question is how do people break up their methods in these cases?
>
>In one extreme you can have 1 method that accepts many arguments, does some
>conditional processing and returns a query based on your arguments. In the
>other extreme you can have hundreds of methods that take no arguments and
>return a specific query for your specific situation. The advantage of the
>former case is that it's easy to maintain and make updates since there is
>only one query. But because of all the conditional processing, every query
>will run slower. In the latter case, your queries run very fast and serve
>one simple, logical purpose, but you have hundreds to write and maintain
>with a lot of code duplication. Like if I needed to change the FROM clause,
>I'd have to do it for every single one.
>
>Does anyone have a good rule of thumb of how to break up their queries?
>
>Cheers,
>Baz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:229003
Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4
Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4
Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4
Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
