StyleCop 4.3 > StyleCop 4.3 Rules > Layout Rules > SA1514: ElementDocumentationHeadersMustBePrecededByBlankLine

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SA1514: ElementDocumentationHeadersMustBePrecededByBlankLine

Glossary Item Box

TypeName	ElementDocumentationHeadersMustBePrecededByBlankLine
CheckId	SA1514
Category	Layout Rules

Cause

An element documentation header above a C# element is not preceded by a blank line.

Rule Description

To improve the readability of the code, StyleCop requires blank lines in certain situations, and prohibits blank lines in other situations. This results in a consistent visual pattern across the code, which can improve recognition and readability of unfamiliar code.

A violation of this rule occurs when the element documentation header above an element is not preceded by a blank line. For example:

public bool Visible

{

get { return this.visible; }

}

/// <summary>

/// Gets a value indicating whether the control is enabled.

/// </summary>

public bool Enabled

{

get { return this.enabled; }

}

The code above would generate an instance of this violation, since the documentation header is not preceded by a blank line.

An exception to this rule occurs when the documentation header is the first item within its scope. In this case, the header should not be preceded by a blank line. For example:

public class Class1

{

/// <summary>

/// Gets a value indicating whether the control is enabled.

/// </summary>

public bool Enabled

{

get { return this.enabled; }

}

In the code above, the header is the first item within its scope, and thus it should not be preceded by a blank line.

How to Fix Violations

To fix a violation of this rule, add a blank line above the documentation header.