Larry Wall schreef:
> Dr.Ruud wrote:
>> I would expect
>>
>> %hash.exists{$key}
>
> Except $foo.bar{$key} is interpreted as $foo.bar().{$key}. Things
> like "exists" and "delete" need to evaluate the key before calling
> the method in question, not after.
OK.
>> with the shortcut
>>
>> %hash.:{$key}
>>
>> to test (at run-time) for existance of the element, and expect
>>
>> %hash.:exists
>>
>> to test (at compile time if possible) for the validity of 'exists',
>> more like
>>
>> %hash.can('exists');
>>
>> %hash.has('exists');
>>
>> %hash.does('exists');
>
> Why would you expect colon to do that? I don't see the prior art...
I was reading : as TEST (or indeed STATUS, or even STATE), and read the
part ":exists" a "the STATUS (or validity) of exists()", which would
always be true (or >0) because exists() is in the "hash-core".
So "%table.:$key" or "%table.:{$key}" would then be short for
"%table.exists{key}" (assuming exists() to be the default
TEST/STATUS/STATE-method for hash).
--
Affijn, Ruud
"Gewoon is een tijger."
