Hi Evan,

>Let me say this: if we were to agree that the multiple exit points all occurred at the top of the module, BEFORE any of the real "meat" of the code, I could live with that.

Ordinarily that is 'exactly' the situation in my code. Any premature Returns are right at the top, and typically are a consequence of not having any real work to do, because of invalid parameters, no rows selected, etc.

>The other side of this coin is that I really try, whenever possible, not to write modules that are longer than two screenfuls;

Whoa ... enormous thread digression! Just kidding, I like monster modules especially when printed out - but only if it is landscape, 8 point, and on fanfold paper! Real programmers like nothing better than to get down on the floor with an 8 foot listing!

>If more developers factored their code with at least one eye toward future maintainability (present company excluded from that statement -g-), we might not even be having this conversation!

Agreed. Not enough developers dot the I’s and cross the T’s. I'm thinking I've now become more anally retentive than a camel's arse in a sandstorm!