In my current application, which is quite simple, I have a class responsible for keeping track of all the customers. It adds new customers, updates details, assigns managers etc. All in all, it performs some logic and keeps track of what is there.
Now, I need to display this database in a complicated way, with certain string formatting, column widths etc. Should this behaviour be part of an external class that would take a list of cusomers, or should it rather stay within the Database itself, as it is the “closest” to the customer objects? What are pros/cons of both approaches? What makes more sense semantically?
Thx in advance.
I would use an external class because the code will be reusable for other applications. If you tie the formatting to the database, then you’ll end up with very specific code that will cost you time further on down the road.
That being said, the elegant solution is not always the fastest. If there’s a looming deadline, and you find it easier and faster to hard code your formatting info, then it may be more prudent to brute force your way through it so you don’t end up with an angry client, an unfinished project and an unpaid invoice.