Are there any anti-pattern names for writing code like this?

Question

Here is some code that uses a parameter class to contain the possible parameters to the Show() method. The values in this FooOption class aren't very related. You can see this by looking at the implementation of Show() below. I know this is bad code, but are there any anti-patterns related to doing this?

class FooOptions {
  public int? Id { get; set; }
  public string BazContext { get; set; }
  public int? BazId { get; set; }
}

class BarMgr {
  public Bar Show(FooOptions options) {
    if (options == null)
      options = new FooOptions();
    if (options.Id.HasValue)
      return svc.GetBar(options.Id.Value);
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(options.BazContext) && options.BazId.HasValue)
      return svc.GetBar(options.BazContext, options.BazId.Value);
    return null;
  }
}

Update: I know that parameter objects are not an anti-pattern. In my experience, parameter object properties are related. This is the possible anti-pattern that I am trying to locate. setting all three properties makes no sense.

Thank you, I already aware of this. I have updated my question to reduce the confusion on this. — Charles Lambert, May 02 '11 at 16:21

score 5 · Answer 1 · answered May 02 '11 at 16:15

5

It's called the parameter object pattern, and it's not considered an antipattern -- it's a good way to deal with methods that would otherwise have too many parameters.

answered May 02 '11 at 16:15

Ernest Friedman-Hill

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I'm asking about the properties in the parameter object which have no relation to each other. – Charles Lambert May 02 '11 at 16:22

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered May 02 '11 at 16:22

After your update, here my answer:
As far as I know, there is no real name for an anti-pattern like this, but there is at least one principle that this method violates:
The Single-Responsibility-Principle.

And it really is a problem of the method and not of the parameter object.

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered May 02 '11 at 16:24

2

There might be an anti-pattern if you use options a lot we have something called feature envy and is an indication that you might want to move functionality into the actual feature being used.

answered May 02 '11 at 16:24

rtn

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Are there any anti-pattern names for writing code like this?

3 Answers3