Advantages of Jackson structured programming

Answer 1

The main reason modular (or structured) programming is important is that it avoids the increased possibility of data corruption. Of course modular elements still have that risk but that is usually down to the user (passing by Ref instead of by Val etc.). However by using non-modular programming you can easily corrupt data without even knowing it.

Non-Modular code is normally referred to as spaghetti code. Spaghetti code is typically code that uses lots of "GOTO" which although supported by VB should be avoided.

One bad point of GOTO statements other than the fact they jump around unpredictably is their reliance on line numbers. If u add a line in the wrong place it can literally destroy your code.

This is because the GOTO command is basically a one way link so somewhere else in the code. At the end of that code will be a GOTO to get back, this is considered very messy as it leaves a virtual "trail" that can not only make it hard for other programmers to understand but also jeopardise the reliability of data via unknown lines of code changing/interacting with the stored data.

It also means the programmer needs to make sure the GOTO's are in the right place which adds a greater chance of user related mistakes.

"Structured Programming" is a idea that Modularity is closely associated with. It is the idea that structuring the program makes it easier for us to understand and therefore easier for teams of developers to work simultaneously on the same program. One advantage of structured programming is reduced complexity. Modularity allows the programmer to tackle problems in a logical fashion. Also, using logical structures ensures that the flow is clear. It is also a time saver, without modularity, code that is used multiple times needs to be written every time it is used whereas all you have to do is call a function with that code in to get the same result in a structured program.