RE: Wishlist
-------Phoenix-Boundary-07081998-
Irv Mullins wrote:
>>3-- Pass-by-reference:
>> integer x
>> foo (&x) -- x may be changed
>Useful, but the wrong syntax, in my opinion.
>Perhaps better would be to use:
>procedure foo (integer x)
>.... blah...
>=A0=A0=A0=A0x +=3D1
>then call it like this: foo (varying x)
It would suit me.
>However, this has been requested before, and Rob has not shown
>much interest it implementing it, which leads me to believe that
>something about the internal workings of Euphoria would make
>that operation either difficult, or wasteful of time or memory.
>>5-- Enhanced standard library(s), possibly built-in
>It would just be a matter of organizing them a bit, documenting
>and stamping them all. Maybe Rob doesn't have time for all that.
>All volunteers take one step backward.
Very difficult to do in the democratic volunteer environment. Really
needs a dictator (Rob) 
>>6-- slicing shorthands:
>Also frequently suggested. Your version adds a possible
>syntax checking problem, in that seq[2..] could *easily* be a typo - you
just
>forgot to finish the range.
In my mind, 'seq[2..]' could be a typo in the same sense that
'x +=3D 1' could easily be a typo (it was supposed to be 10!)
I think '..' is prettier than '~', but either is acceptable.
>And as Carl pointed out, there is a definite problem with the
>seq +=3D "a", a notation that confuses me anyway. It looks
>like a math function, maybe you want to add the ascii value of
>"a" to each atom in the sequence=3F 'append' may be wordy,
>but at least its meaning is clear.
The wordiness I was trying to address was not the 'append', but
the redundant 'seq'. My way is a failure; Is there another way=3F
>>7-- File-local definitions should override globals
>Breaks too much code, ..
=3F=3F I don't understand. Isn't it true that file-local definitions
which match globals draw error messages now=3F
The specific case I'm thinking of is:
include mylib.e -- defines 'global type boolean ...'
include file.e -- ERROR -- boolean already defined
The standard Euphoria library file 'file.e' locally defines a
'type boolean ...' This forces the global version to be included after
file.e. This is a minor include file ordering problem in this case,
but could get much worse as libraries proliferate.
>>13- def
>>replaces function or procedure
>Don't like this. There are very good reasons for having functions and
>procedures as entirely separate beasts. def is not definitive enough for
>me.
Ok. That wish came directly from my 'lazy-typist' department.
>>14- structures
>Apparently un-doable with Euphoria as it stands.
>As far as I have been able to determine, there's no way to retain
>the type of a member of a sequence. So type checking items
>within a sequence wouldn't be possible.
If I cant have types, I still want names.
>>15- Block comments
>Example:
>pretext disclaimer =3D
>This program is copyright 2001 by Irv Mullins <ir- at ellijay.com>
>who bears no responsibility for its use. If your hair falls out, your
>cat gets pregnant, or your kids get poison ivy, it's not my fault.
>=A0=A0=A0So there!
>end pretext
good idea, but see new wish # 18 below
>>17- Automatic 'Result'
>I'm not sure I understand the advantage this has over simply
>putting 'return 3.14' as the final line in the function. Please elaborate.
This is another minor 'lazy-typist' wish. I was noticing the large number
of functions I write that start off:
function foo ()
integer Result
Result =3D 0
...
and thinking how nice it would be if the common 'Result' were built-in.
Pretty minor!
18- Concatenated strings
Euphoria should merge successive strings, including across
lines.
sequence s
s =3D "this is" " a single string"
s=3D "this is also"
" a single string!"
P.S. My 'GOO' translator implements a number of these wishes, including
namespaces,
slicing shorthands, and initializers. (Beware: its dot-notation objects
only work in the simplest cases.)
Regards
Karl Bochert
-------Phoenix-Boundary-07081998---
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