Compile time function execution...

[Andrei Alexandrescu (See Website For Email)]

Walter Bright wrote:
> Andrei Alexandrescu (See Website For Email) wrote:
>> This is by far the least interesting application of this stuff. I 
>> don't even count it when I think of the feature. "Oh, yeah, I could 
>> compile square root at compile time. How quaint."
> 
> I agree. I need a better example. Any ideas?

Well we talked about:

int a = foo();
char[] b = bar();
print("a is $a and b is $b, dammit\n");

The interesting part is that this will also require you to screw in a 
couple of extra nuts & bolts (that were needed anyway).

Smart enums (that know printing & parsing) are another example. But the 
print() example is simple, of immediate clear benefit, and suggestive of 
more powerful stuff.


Andrei