CTFE thoughts & functional approach

[deadalnix via Digitalmars-d]

On Sunday, 31 January 2016 at 13:59:06 UTC, Robert M. Münch wrote:
> I like CTFE and the meta programming idea for languages like D.
>
> However, I'm wondering why most (everyone?) is trying to do 
> meta-programming using the same language as the one getting 
> compiled. IMO the use-cases a pretty different and doing CTFE, 
> code-generation etc. needs some other approach. If you look at 
> all the strange template syntax, strange hacks etc. it's all 
> far from being obvious.
>
> Why not have a CTL (compile-time-language) that has access to 
> some compiler internals, that follows a more functional 
> concept? We are evaluating sequences of things to generate 
> code, include / exclude code etc.
>
> From my experience with the different approaches, functional 
> thinking is much better suited and simpler to use for CTFE 
> goals.
>
> IMO that would really be a big step ahead. Because you know a 
> hammer, not everything is a nail...

I'm not sure what is preventing you from doing that already. 
There is compile time reflection (has access to some compiler 
internals) and D support functional style.

Unless you have some specific in mind, I don't think there is 
anything we can do to help here. t seems you already have the 
pieces you want.