title: Java style: Multiple variable assignment
body: <p>Take the following:</p>
  
  <pre><code>if (filter instanceof FileNameExtensionFilter) {
      fnef = (FileNameExtensionFilter) filter;
      String[] extensions = fnef.getExtensions();
      if (extensions.length &gt; 1) {
          fnef = filter = new FileNameExtensionFilter(fnef.getDescription(), extensions[0]);
      }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>where <code>filter</code> is a <code>FileFilter</code> object and <code>fnef</code> an instance variable of the type <code>FileNameExtensionFilter</code>.</p>
  
  <p>Would you consider it good coding practice to assign a value to multiple variables on the same line? Or would it be better to write line 6 from the example as follows:</p>
  
  <pre><code>fnef = new FileNameExtensionFilter(fnef.getDescription(), extensions[0]);
  filter = fnef;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I personally prefer the latter, though I'd like to hear what you think.</p>