> Mailing-List: contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]; run by ezmlm
> Date: Fri, 15 Nov 2002 07:37:51 +1100 (EST)
> From: "Timothy S. Nelson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> X-SMTPD: qpsmtpd/0.12, http://develooper.com/code/qpsmtpd/
>
> Here's the next part to the Control Structures message I sent before.
>
> The next part is to apply the same idea to loop. Please note that
> this syntax conflicts with stuff already in Perl, but it's a bit clearer what
> I mean when I do it this way; the question is, do we scrap my idea, or the
> other syntax? :)
>
> I'll begin with a few words of explanation of what follows. First,
> you normally wouldn't spread it out this much. Second, each line is
> optional, except "loop" and { blockL }.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> loop
> parallel
> first { BLOCKF }
> each [ actual ] [ $key [ => $value ] ] (@array|%hash)
> while ( EXPR )
> count [ $autocount ] [ ($start, $end, $step) ]
> nest { BLOCKT }
> { BLOCKL }
> next { BLOCKX }
> all { BLOCKA }
> any { BLOCKB }
> some { BLOCKS }
> none { BLOCKN }
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you grok the current C<for> syntax? Do you know about the FIRST,
NEXT, and LAST blocks? If so, you'll easily see that your
million-and-a-half keywords are complicating what we already have.
for parallel(<>, 0..Inf) -> $line, $count {
FIRST { $line //= "#!/usr/bin/perl" }
# processing...
NEXT { print STDERR "Next line...\n" }
LAST { print STDERR "Done\n" }
}
That 'example' (ignoring the fact that examples usually have some
purpose ;) has all the useful stuff from your list, and IMO is more
comprehensible than a LISPish do-ish loop.
Also, keep in mind that that C<parallel> function can be any (possibly
user-defined) function. I really like that interface. Also keep in
mind that that may not be The Interface :( i.e. still under debate ).
The only thing it doesn't cover is C<nest>, which, in practical
situations, isn't all that useful anyway. It's cleaner just to nest
manually.
Luke
