class extensions

[Nathan Reed]

Bill Baxter wrote:
> Chris Nicholson-Sauls wrote:
>> Bill Baxter wrote:
>>> kris wrote:
>>> So my feeling is that for this to be more useful:
>>> 1) Extension members should be marked as such and *only* be allowed 
>>> to be called with member syntax.  Those not marked as such will not 
>>> be allowed to be called with member syntax.  (if you need both then 
>>> it's easy enough to write a trivial forwarding function.)
>>
>> Its not a bad idea.  The "trivial forwarding function" should be 
>> inlineable anyhow.  Maybe a "context" parameter?  Something like:
>> size_t indexOf : T[] array (T) (T elem) { ... }
>>
>> Where the (':' param) after the function name creates the 
>> context-param.  Other examples:
>>
>> ulong area : IShape shp () { ... }
>>
>> void unique : inout T[] array (T) () { ... }
>>
>>
>> Its just a random on-the-spot idea.
>>
> 
> Maybe even just use a semi-colon instead of comma in the arg list?
>   size_t indexOf(T)(T[] array; T elem) { ... }
>   ulong area (IShape shp;) { ... }
>   void unique (ref T[] array; T) () { ... }
> 
> --bb

I like that syntax; something similiar is used in mathematics on 
occasion.  Simple and elegant.

Thanks,
Nathan Reed