OpenEuphoria

Re: Eu improvements (part 3)

• Posted by c.k.lester <euphoric at cklester.com> Jan 04, 2007
• 573 views

Karl Bochert wrote:
> 
> c.k.lester wrote:
> 
> The assignment to my_line above would be an error because
> my_line does not have an element named 'x'

Yeah, I typoed... :/

> }}}
<eucode>
>     my_line.start.x = 1
>     my_line.start.y = 1
>     -- or perhaps
>     my_line.start = mypoint
> </eucode>
{{{

> Also
> }}}
<eucode>
>     my_line.start = {1, 1}
> </eucode>
{{{

> is an error because '{1, 1}' is not a structured sequence.

So what if it's not a structured sequence? It matches up to the Line sequence.

Or you'd have to do:

  my_line.start.x = 1
  my_line.start.y = 1

> Using {1, 1} requires 'inside knowledge' as to the layout of a Point.
> Suppose the first element of a Point is a name??
> Suppose you want to add a field a few years from now??

True. Gotcha. I still think it should be allowed. Programmer beware. ;)

> > It's a stricter definition of the 'type' or 'sequence.' Of course, this
> > could
> > always be managed outside the object's definition, but
> > why not put it inside?
> >
> IMHO because we must keep it Euphoric (simple).

Euphoria can be made simpler even as we speak, but I don't think there's
anything you'd want stripped from it. I think adding 'where' is an addition
to the language, not a complication.

> > One concern I have is for working with databases. If I have a table that has
> > about 20 fields (this is an actual case), and I want to import a record from
> > it, how could this be done best using a structured sequence?
> > 
> > my_record = get_db_record( 3 )
> > 
> > -- options
> > my_record.field1 (field1, field2, etc.) -- no likey this much
> > my_record.Field_Name -- better, but what about fields with spaces in them?
> > my_record.'Field Name'
> > my_record['Field Name'] -- very nice
> > 
> > etc...
> Are you trying to allow the name of an element of a structured sequence
> to have a space in it?? Bad idea, I think.

No, I was thinking of database fields. I don't usually put spaces in my
database field names, and I don't even know if it's allowed in EDB or
EuSQL (Matt?), but I was just covering all my bases. :)

> Note that the structured sequence is data only.(no functions are attached)
> Many elaborations are possible, initializers, verifiers, properties etc
> but this is a simple language -- only the basic functionality should be
> provided.

I'm in full agreement of adding the basic functionality of structured
sequences and leaving the advanced stuff to extended libraries. I was
just brainstorming...