Question

This is an subjective question, I need your feels and thoughts about coding standards, and formatting practices.

PHP Zend coding standard requires to write multiline function calls like this:

$returnedValue = $object->longMethodName(
    $argument1,
    $otherArgument,
    42
);

I think the following approach is more readable:

$returnedValue = $object->longMethodName($argument1,
                                         $otherArgument,
                                         42);

Becouse the there is only one line on the left side, this indicates this is only one statement, and the arguments are closer to the method name.

Which one do YOU prefer?

Answer 1

The second approach leaves you with one additional Problem: Line length.
The Zend Coding Standard suggest that “The maximum length of any line of PHP code is 120 characters.”

This means if you want good (long, descriptive) Variables names and you happen to have one for the return value, the object, a good named function and a long parameter you are much more likely to hit that 120 chars limit.

Adding to that and depending on your standard the max length may be only 80 Chars or something in between.

Additionally i like the first one better if used repeatedly

$returnedValue = $object->longMethodName(
    $argument1,
    $otherArgument,
    42
);
$returnedValue = $object->longMethodName(
    $argument1,
    $otherArgument,
    42
);
$returnedValue = $object->longMethodName(
    $argument1,
    $otherArgument,
    42
);
$returnedValue = $object->longMethodName(
    $argument1,
    $otherArgument,
    42
);

$returnedValue = $object->longMethodName($argument1,
                                         $otherArgument,
                                         42);
$returnedValue = $object->longMethodName($argument1,
                                         $otherArgument,
                                         42);
$returnedValue = $object->longMethodName($argument1,
                                         $otherArgument,
                                         42);
$returnedValue = $object->longMethodName($argument1,
                                         $otherArgument,
                                         42);

Like Pekka said, less eye jumping.