Dot notation vs. message notation for declared properties

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Do not use dot for behavior. Use dot to access or set attribute like stuff, typically attributes declared as properties.

x = foo.name; // good
foo.age = 42; // good

y = x.retain; // bad

k.release; // compiler should warn, but some don't. Oops.

v.lockFocusIfCanDraw; /// ooh... no. bad bad bad

For folks new to Objective-C, I would recommend not using the dot for anything but stuff declared as @property. Once you have a feel for the language, do what feels right.

For example, I find the following perfectly natural:

k = anArray.count;
for (NSView *v in myView.subviews) { ... };

You can expect that the clang static analyzer will grow the ability to allow you to check that the dot is being used only for certain patterns or not for certain other patterns.

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