Unnecessary from what perspective?
remaining_time = max(0, interval - elapsed_time)
Sure the computer doesn’t need it but:
p. 15, Refactoring: Improving the design of existing code; 1999
The right hand side of the assignment focuses on what needs to be done - the left hand side enlightens us why it’s being done.
Sometimes I wonder whether these “idioms” date back to when this was normal
z = max(0, x - y)
schedule_events(z)
That z is unnecessary.
Pipes can be similarly affected by bad or lack of naming which is what is really going on in the OP.
interval
|> calc_remaining_time(time_elapsed)
|> make_positive_value()
|> schedule_events()
which should really become
interval
|> remaining_time(time_elapsed)
|> schedule_events()
but even that seems forced compared to
remaining_time = max(0, interval - elapsed_time)
schedule_events(remaining_time)
