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digitalmars.D - Changing the template defintion syntax.

reply Robert DaSilva <sp.unit.262+digitalmars gmail.com> writes:
One thing that has bugged me for a while is the in symmetry of how
template are defined and used. If template were defined with !() instead
of () it would also allow multi-level template to be defined with out
the "same name as template" kludge.
For example
U to!(U)!(T)(T t);
And while on the note of to, it would be nice if cast used template
syntax (as well as any keyword function that took or returned types
(const, invariant, typeof, typeid, etc.)).

Also the template keyword could be replace with a generic namespace keyword.

We could even let all definitions be templatable
T template_variable!(T);
I don't know how practicable or use full that would be though.
Dec 15 2007
parent reply =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Jari-Matti_M=E4kel=E4?= <jmjmak utu.fi.invalid> writes:
On Sat, 15 Dec 2007, Robert DaSilva wrote:


 One thing that has bugged me for a while is the in symmetry of how
 template are defined and used. If template were defined with !() instead
 of () it would also allow multi-level template to be defined with out
 the "same name as template" kludge.
 For example
 U to!(U)!(T)(T t);


I think you're confusing a lot of things here. Changing the syntax isn't 
enough to make the static parameters of a functions partially applicable. 
Also I'm not sure if a change in the syntax is needed. You could achieve 
the same thing with implicit currying.

Another thing is that what you're showing here isn't the only thing that 
can be done with nested templates. The C++ style "anonymous" 
parametrization is cleaner in this case, but in D you can also change 
the declaration type inside the template:

template foo(int i) {
   static if(i == 0)
     class foo {}
   else
     int foo;
}



 And while on the note of to, it would be nice if cast used template
 syntax (as well as any keyword function that took or returned types
 (const, invariant, typeof, typeid, etc.)).


Why?


 Also the template keyword could be replace with a generic namespace keyword.


What? Templates form a namespace, but that doesn't mean templates are 
equivalent to namespaces. What would be useful though is to be able to 
instantiate templates with no parameters or templates with only parameters 
with default values without using !() syntax. But then, how would one 
differentiate between template symbol and instantiation.


 We could even let all definitions be templatable
 T template_variable!(T);
 I don't know how practicable or use full that would be though.


Huh?
Dec 17 2007
parent Robert DaSilva <sp.unit.262+digitalmars gmail.com> writes:
Jari-Matti Mäkelä wrote:

 On Sat, 15 Dec 2007, Robert DaSilva wrote:
 

 One thing that has bugged me for a while is the in symmetry of how
 template are defined and used. If template were defined with !() instead
 of () it would also allow multi-level template to be defined with out
 the "same name as template" kludge.
 For example
 U to!(U)!(T)(T t);


 
 I think you're confusing a lot of things here. Changing the syntax isn't
 enough to make the static parameters of a functions partially
 applicable. Also I'm not sure if a change in the syntax is needed. You
 could achieve the same thing with implicit currying.


The main reason for the suggestion is the symmetry, I'm just adding
thinks that would possible with the syntax change.


 
 Another thing is that what you're showing here isn't the only thing that
 can be done with nested templates. The C++ style "anonymous"
 parametrization is cleaner in this case, but in D you can also change
 the declaration type inside the template:
 
 template foo(int i) {
   static if(i == 0)
     class foo {}
   else
     int foo;
 }
 
 

 And while on the note of to, it would be nice if cast used template
 syntax (as well as any keyword function that took or returned types
 (const, invariant, typeof, typeid, etc.)).


 
 Why?


Consistency.


 

 Also the template keyword could be replace with a generic namespace
 keyword.


 
 What? Templates form a namespace, but that doesn't mean templates are
 equivalent to namespaces. What would be useful though is to be able to
 instantiate templates with no parameters or templates with only
 parameters with default values without using !() syntax. But then, how
 would one differentiate between template symbol and instantiation.


I never said they were the same thing. But a templated namespace is
equivalent to the current template implementation.


 

 We could even let all definitions be templatable
 T template_variable!(T);
 I don't know how practicable or use full that would be though.


 
 Huh?


It would be the same as
template template_variable(T)
{
    T template_variable;
}
Dec 17 2007