The API uses its own naming conventions for functions, constants, and data types. To ensure compatibility with future releases of the API, use these constants and data type declarations in your program:
Function names—Describe the action the function performs. A name is made of a prefix that represents the interface, followed by one or more words or fragments that describes the action and its object. The parts of the name are not separated by spaces but are capitalized for easier interpretation. Names follow this format:
| Format and Parts of Name | Example |
|---|---|
| InterfaceVerbObject | Interface |
| Programming interface | EssCreateGroup |
| Ess = C API | EssUpdate = C API |
| Esb = Visual Basic API | EsbUpdate = Visual Basic API |
| EssOtl = C Outline API | EssOtlOpenOutline = C Outline API |
| EsbOtl = Visual Basic Outline API | EsbOtlOpenOutline = Visual Basic Outline API |
| EssG = C Grid API | EssGSetGridOption = C Grid API |
| Verb Action to perform, such as "Report" | EssReportFile (no verb) sends the report |
| Object Object of action, such as "Group" | EssUpdate (no Object) acts on the current object |
Data structure names—Begin with a prefix that represents the interface, includes a word or fragment that describes the structure, and ends with a suffix indicating either typedef definition or macro. Underscore characters separate the parts of the name. Names follow this format:
| Format and Parts of Name | Example |
|---|---|
| Interface_Name_Type | Interface |
| Programming interface, either ESS or ESB | EssCreateGroup |
| Verb Data type, such as STR (string) | ESB_BOOL_T = Visual Basic typdef for Boolean |
| Type Type of structure, either T (typedef definition) or M (macro) | ESS_STR_T = C language typedef for String |
C API constant names—Begin with the prefix ESS that represents the C interface, includes a word that describes the constant, and has no suffix. Underscore characters separate the parts of the name. Names follow this format:
| Format and Parts of Name | Example |
|---|---|
| Structure Data type or structure field, such as "Boolean" | ESS_Structure_Value |
| Value Type of value the constant stores | ESS_STS_NOERROR could store a value for the ESS_STS_T data type |