How to handle the same code path with different parameters?

Question

I've encountered a situation where, trying not to have to modify the underlying source (it's not really "my" code at that level; otherwise, I'd love to modify it), I have two almost identical code paths, but with separate types of data I'm using.

Ignoring that you could probably convert one to the other rather easily, a similar example would be a "Circle" object.

On one hand, I have a Point object and a radius. On the other, I have a Circle object. Both of these can describe the same actual circle, but I just can't convert one to another.

Then, in my code, I have:

void Run(Circle circle)
{
    if(AllNegative(circle))
    {
        // ...
        // Do unrelated stuff
        // ...
        ColorCircle(circle);
        // ...
    }
}

void Run(Point pt, uint radius)
{
    if(AllNegative(pt, radius))
    {
        // ...
        // Do unrelated stuff
        // ...
        ColorCircle(pt, radius);
        // ...
    }
}

bool AllNegative(Circle circle) { return (circle.AllNegative); }
bool AllNegative(Point pt, uint radius) { return ((pt.X + radius) < 0) && ((pt.Y + radius) < 0); }

void ColorCircle(Circle circle) { /* ... */ }
void ColorCircle(Point pt, uint radius) { /* ... */ }

Of course, I have more code in Run than in this example.

How do I merge Run into a single function in order to minimize code duplication?

Answer 1

There are two paths you could take in this case:

1. You can leave it just as you have it now - overloaded methods.
2. Move duplicated code to a new method. If in your unrelated section you calculate the diameter of the circle (realistic or not), create a method calcDiameter(radius).

There's nothing inherantly wrong with duplicated code in this sort of situation, if it's only a couple of lines that really don't make a new method practical.