Question

I am trying to improve my coding style and I understand that my coding style is terrible.
Could you suggest the WAYS of improving my function?

    public void polulateSpecs(int itemID, List<neItem> coll)
    {
        Program p = new Program();

        for (int i = 0; i < (coll.Count - 1); i++) //going over all Objects in the list
        {
            String CatName = coll[i].specCat.Trim(); //define the name of the category
            String queryCategoryCheck = "SELECT ID FROM ATTRIBUTE_CATEGORY WHERE ATTRIBUTE_NAME = '" + CatName + "'"; //check if Cat Exist query
            String queryCategoryInsert = "INSERT INTO ATTRIBUTE_CATEGORY(ATTRIBUTE_NAME) VALUES ('" + CatName + "')"; //insert new category query

            int cdId; //Category ID holder
            try
            {
                String CID = p.querySQLStringReturn(queryCategoryCheck); //get ID
                cdId = int.Parse(CID); //parse ID to number
            }
            catch
            {
                cdId = 0; // if can't parse to number, set to 0
            }

            if (cdId == 0) //if value is 0, then no bran exist, therefore create one
            {
                p.insertSQL(queryCategoryInsert, "Insert New Category " + CatName); //perform insert operation
            }

            try //now Category should be in the database- get it's ID
            {
                String CID = p.querySQLStringReturn(queryCategoryCheck);
                cdId = int.Parse(CID); //Category ID
            }
            catch { }

            for (int c = 2; c < (coll[i].attributesList.Count); c += 2) //go over 
            {
                String attname = coll[i].attributesList[c].Trim(); // name of the attribute
                String attSpec = coll[i].attributesList[c - 1].Trim(); //description of the attribute

                String queryAttributeCheck = "SELECT ID FROM ATTRIBUTE_LIST WHERE ATT_NAME = '" + attname + "' AND ATT_SPEC = '" + attSpec + "'"; //check if Attribute Exist query
                String queryAttributeInsert = "INSERT INTO ATTRIBUTE_LIST(PARENT_CAT, ATT_NAME, ATT_SPEC) VALUES (" + cdId + ", '" + attname + "', '" + attSpec + "')"; //insert new category query


                int aId; //Attribute ID holder
                try
                {
                    String AID = p.querySQLStringReturn(queryAttributeCheck); //get ID
                    aId = int.Parse(AID); //parse ID to number
                }
                catch
                {
                    aId = 0; // if can't parse to number(does not exist), set it to 0
                }

                if (aId == 0) //if value is 0, then no bran exist, therefore create one
                {
                    p.insertSQL(queryAttributeInsert, "Insert New Attribute Set " + attname); //perform insert operation
                }

                try //now Category should be in the database- get it's ID
                {
                    String AID = p.querySQLStringReturn(queryAttributeCheck);
                    aId = int.Parse(AID); //Attribute ID
                }
                catch { }
            }

            //Add final record to database (Item ID and Corresponding Attribute category)
            String queryProductToAttributeCheck = "SELECT ID FROM PRODUCT_TO_ATT_CATEGORY WHERE PROD_ID = '" + itemID + "' AND ATT_CAT = '" + cdId + "'"; //check if Attribute Exist query
            String queryProductToAttributeInsert = "INSERT INTO PRODUCT_TO_ATT_CATEGORY(PROD_ID, ATT_CAT) VALUES (" + itemID + ", " + cdId + ")"; //insert new category query                

            int ptaID; //Attribute ID holder
            try
            {
                String PTAID = p.querySQLStringReturn(queryProductToAttributeCheck); //get ID
                ptaID = int.Parse(PTAID); //parse ID to number
            }
            catch
            {
                // if can't parse to number(does not exist), insert it
                ptaID = 0;
            }
            p.insertSQL(queryProductToAttributeInsert, "Insert Product to Attribute Mapping " + itemID);
        }
    }

Answer 1

First of all, stop the empty catch blocks for parsing. If you really want to throw away errors, use TryParse instead. Next, remove unnecessary parentheses. Also cut down on the superfluous comments, like “perform insert operation” (the code makes it obvious). So:

public void polulateSpecs(int itemID, List<neItem> coll)
{
    Program p = new Program();

    for (int i = 0; i < coll.Count - 1; i++) // going over all Objects in the list
    {
        string CatName = coll[i].specCat.Trim(); // define the name of the category
        string queryCategoryCheck = "SELECT ID FROM ATTRIBUTE_CATEGORY WHERE ATTRIBUTE_NAME = '" + CatName + "'"; //check if Cat Exist query
        string queryCategoryInsert = "INSERT INTO ATTRIBUTE_CATEGORY(ATTRIBUTE_NAME) VALUES ('" + CatName + "')"; //insert new category query

        int cdId = 0; //Category ID holder
        string CID = p.querySQLStringReturn(queryCategoryCheck); //get ID
        int.TryParse(CID, ref cdId); //parse ID to number

        if (cdId == 0) //if value is 0, then no brand exists, therefore create one:
        {
            p.insertSQL(queryCategoryInsert, "Insert New Category " + CatName);
        }

        // Now Category should be in the database - get its ID
        string CID = p.querySQLStringReturn(queryCategoryCheck);
        int.TryParse(CID, ref cdId); // Category ID

        for (int c = 2; c < coll[i].attributesList.Count; c += 2)
        {
            string attname = coll[i].attributesList[c].Trim(); // Name of the attribute
            string attSpec = coll[i].attributesList[c - 1].Trim(); // Description of the attribute

            string queryAttributeCheck = "SELECT ID FROM ATTRIBUTE_LIST WHERE ATT_NAME = '" + attname + "' AND ATT_SPEC = '" + attSpec + "'"; // Query to check if attribute exists
            string queryAttributeInsert = "INSERT INTO ATTRIBUTE_LIST(PARENT_CAT, ATT_NAME, ATT_SPEC) VALUES (" + cdId + ", '" + attname + "', '" + attSpec + "')"; // Query to insert new category


            int aId = 0; // Attribute ID holder
            string AID = p.querySQLStringReturn(queryAttributeCheck); // get ID
            int.TryParse(AID, ref aId); // parse ID to number

            if (aId == 0) // if value is 0, then no bran exist, therefore create one
            {
                p.insertSQL(queryAttributeInsert, "Insert New Attribute Set " + attname);
            }

            // now Category should be in the database - get its ID
            string AID = p.querySQLStringReturn(queryAttributeCheck);
            int.TryParse(AID, ref aId); // Attribute ID
        }

        // Add final record to database (Item ID and Corresponding Attribute category)
        string queryProductToAttributeCheck = "SELECT ID FROM PRODUCT_TO_ATT_CATEGORY WHERE PROD_ID = '" + itemID + "' AND ATT_CAT = '" + cdId + "'"; // check if Attribute Exist query
        string queryProductToAttributeInsert = "INSERT INTO PRODUCT_TO_ATT_CATEGORY(PROD_ID, ATT_CAT) VALUES (" + itemID + ", " + cdId + ")"; // insert new category query                

        int ptaID = 0; // Attribute ID holder
        string PTAID = p.querySQLStringReturn(queryProductToAttributeCheck); // Get ID
        int.TryParse(PTAID, ref ptaID);
        p.insertSQL(queryProductToAttributeInsert, "Insert Product to Attribute Mapping " + itemID);
    }
}