auto -> auto & var

[Georg Wrede]

Lionello Lunesu wrote:
> "Kramer" <Kramer_member at pathlink.com> wrote in message 
> news:duspas$2dfo$1 at digitaldaemon.com...
> 
>> I keep tripping myself over the double meaning of auto.  I know it
>>  shouldn't be that difficult to remember that auto means type
>> inference and also stack allocation/RAII, but does it have to be
>> that way?
> 
> Walter explained it: it does not have two meanings. The "auto" merely
>  notifies the compiler (or lexer, I don't know) that it's a
> declaration and a variable name will follow.
> 
> When the compiler encounters "auto x" it knows "x" is a variable.
> Since "auto x" doesn't mention a type, it'll be derived.. Same thing
> for "static x", x must be a variable, but there's no type so it'll be
> derived.

While Walter is right, this still _seems_ like two separate things, 
especially for those new to the language. Whether new to programming or 
just new to D.

Pascal used to make a fuss about the difference between a Function and a 
Procedure. No C programmer couldn't care less about that difference. But 
the main point is that having two separate names for [the same or 
different things, depending on who you ask], might not always be bad for 
your health.

Two separate words would ease learning D, and make it clearer which the 
programmer meant. This is especially important for expedient debugging.