Fully dynamic d by opDotExp overloading

[Andrei Alexandrescu]

Michel Fortin wrote:
> On 2009-04-18 17:48:33 -0400, Andrei Alexandrescu 
> <SeeWebsiteForEmail at erdani.org> said:
> 
>> Michel Fortin wrote:
>>> On 2009-04-18 11:19:38 -0400, Andrei Alexandrescu 
>>> <SeeWebsiteForEmail at erdani.org> said:
>>>
>>>> I'm confused. Isn't it clear that at the moment we "have" the 
>>>> ability to pass a function name as a runtime string?
>>>
>>> Indeed, you can pass the template argument as a runtime argument to 
>>> another function. No misunderstanding here.
>>>
>>>
>>>> What we're lacking is the ability to implement that using 
>>>> reflection, but that's an entirely separated discussion!
>>>
>>> Runtime reflection lacking indeed, but wether runtime reflection is 
>>> an entirely separated discussion depends on if what we're doing will 
>>> get in the way of implementing it.
>>>
>>>
>>>> And no, you're not supposed to forward from invoke(string, 
>>>> Variant[]...) to opDotExp - it's precisely the other way around!
>>>
>>> Wrong. Whether it's one way or another entirely depends on what your 
>>> goals are.
>>
>> Wrong. It's impossible to pass a dynamic string as a static string, so 
>> the street is one way.
> 
> Indeed it's impossible using a template which requires a static string. 
> And that's exactly the problem: some times you're supposed to make it 
> work both ways, as I've explained in the rest of my post you've cut 
> down. Did you read it?
> 
> I won't repeat everything, but here's the important part: not having it 
> go both ways *is* an important drawback. And it doesn't go both ways 
> only if opDotExp is a template.

I did, but sorry, it doesn't make sense and does nothing but continue 
the terrible confusion going in this thread.

You say: well if opDot were a template then a scripting language can't 
get to it because what it has is a dynamic string. Yes. That's why opDot 
does whatever static string processing and then forwards, if the design 
asks for it, to the dynamic function. opDot's participation is solely a 
syntax helper within D.


Andrei