Create configuration to hint IDE and source code editor

[jcfr]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

The review process is tedious as a significant amount of time is spent providing stylistic feedback.

Describe the solution you'd like

Create configuration file minimizing the amount of changes to existing source files

Depending on the language, they are few options:

• .clang-format
• https://editorconfig.org/
• flake8

Describe alternatives you've considered

NA

Additional context

• https://www.slicer.org/wiki/Documentation/Labs/Slicer5-roadmap#Coding_Style
• https://github.com/Kitware/VTK/blob/master/.clang-format
• https://github.com/InsightSoftwareConsortium/ITK/blob/master/.clang-format
• https://github.com/InsightSoftwareConsortium/ITK/blob/master/.editorconfig

[HarryDC]

One of the ways to get this started is to start small and start using a configuration, be that clang-format or editorconfig pick a configuration that matches the current format basically beta-test it in a few places.

Not sure if a step of reformatting the whole repository is really necessary by pushing the tools at least the active parts of the codebase would trend towards consistent formatting. A second step would be to figure out how to apply styling automatically. I haven't dealt much with git hooks, i rely on visual studio to apply the formatting automatically (usually just on save) http://www.manobit.com/code-beautifier-for-visual-studio/ can be configured for a variety of tools.

Another option that some people seem to like https://github.com/uncrustify/uncrustify

https://gitlab.kitware.com/iMSTK/iMSTK/-/blob/master/Utilities/Uncrustify/iMSTKUncrustify.cfg

But i feel that the number of options in there can just lead to spending way to much time fiddling with the options

Between editorconfig and clang-format the main question is probably if you just want to enforce tabs and spaces or go a little further to things like function definition format, , spacing, etc. then clang-format is probably the most supported. https://clangpowertools.com/clang-format-editor.html could be used to find a starting config for the first phase

[Thibault-Pelletier]

I'm bumping this issue. For rare contributors like myself, a clang-format would be very useful when contributing and not having to manually modify the style for the modified lines.

In most IDEs, you can select the lines you want to auto format which makes it easier to only apply style to the modifications and leave the rest of the file untouched!

[jcfr]

a clang-format would be very useful

This is being integrated through:

• STYLE: Consistent formatting and indentation of C++ sources #7603

To summarize, we will soon have a .clang-format available