Case Range Statement ..

["Jérôme M. Berger"]

Bill Baxter wrote:
> On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 4:12 PM, Andrei
> Alexandrescu<SeeWebsiteForEmail at erdani.org> wrote:
>> Jérôme M. Berger wrote:
>>>    So, the correct way to define an inclusive range is with "+1" except
>>> when it's with "nextUp", unless you're talking about the right end of the
>>> range where it is inclusive by default and the right way to make it
>>> exclusive is with "+1" except when it's with "nextUp"?
>>>
>>>    That's what I call consistent!
>> I completely disagree with your assessment. First, you didn't mention
>> what the range is supposed to do. For example, what primitives should
>> the range have? Are you talking about a built-in type or a
>> library-defined type? etc.
>>
>> There are two places in the language where expression1..expression2
>> comes into play: when slicing an array, and when iterating with foreach.
>> In both cases the range is discrete with step 1, and so it makes sense
>> to discuss that when expression1..expression2 is being talked about. Now
>> you can't just silently redefine what you mean by range and then claim
>> inconsistency.
>>
>> If you want to make a case, please state clearly what are you talking
>> about. Nobody can be consistent with a definition that doesn't exist.
> 
> I think what Jerome is getting at is that we could be getting more
> mileage out of the xpr1..xpr2 syntax.  It would be useful syntax for
> more than just integral, dense ranges in foreach and slices.  The
> equivalents I've used or seen in Ruby, Python and Matlab are more
> versatile than D's.  Perhaps that can't be translated in any useful
> way to a static language like D, I dunno.  But it leaves one with the
> feeling that D's slice literals are underpowered and that the case
> range thing is just plugging a hole in a dilapidated boat rather than
> building us a nice new sleek yacht.
> 
	Exactly. Especially when I seem to remember several discussions 
where Walter and Andrei talked about giving D a more mathematics and 
scientific orientation (might be confusing with someone else though).

		Jerome
-- 
mailto:jeberger at free.fr
http://jeberger.free.fr
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