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digitalmars.D.learn - What does ! mean?

reply Ky-Anh Huynh <saigon example.net> writes:
Hi,

I am from Ruby world where I can have `!` (or `?`) in method 
names: `!` indicates that a method would modify its object 
(`foo.upcase!` means `foo = foo.upcase`). ( I don't know if there 
is any official Ruby documentation on this convention though. )

In D I see `!` quite a lot. I have read the first 50 chapters in 
Ali's book but nowhere I see a note on `!`. It's about the 
compile thing, isn't it? E.g,

```
foo = formattedRead!"%s"(value);
```

But I also see `!` for some map/filter invocations. It's quite 
confusing me.

Can you please explain and give any link where I can learn more 
about these things?

Thanks a lot.
Sep 27 2017
next sibling parent rikki cattermole <rikki cattermole.co.nz> writes:
There are two types of arguments in D. The runtime one (which you are 
well aware of) and the compile time one. A compile time argument is a 
constant passed in during construction of a symbol.

But here is the thing, it isn't just limited to functions, you can have 
it on classes as well.

---
class Foo(bool b) {
	bool get() { return b; }
}

void main() {
	Foo!true v = new Foo!true;
	assert(v.get);
}
---

Same logic going on.

---
bool get(bool b)() {
	return b;
}

void main() {
	assert(get!true == true);
}
---

It can do more than a simple boolean being passed in, but that is the 
gist. Templates are wonderful (also read the spec!).
Sep 27 2017
prev sibling next sibling parent reply Eugene Wissner <belka caraus.de> writes:
On Wednesday, 27 September 2017 at 14:23:01 UTC, Ky-Anh Huynh 
wrote:

 Hi,

 I am from Ruby world where I can have `!` (or `?`) in method 
 names: `!` indicates that a method would modify its object 
 (`foo.upcase!` means `foo = foo.upcase`). ( I don't know if 
 there is any official Ruby documentation on this convention 
 though. )

 In D I see `!` quite a lot. I have read the first 50 chapters 
 in Ali's book but nowhere I see a note on `!`. It's about the 
 compile thing, isn't it? E.g,

 ```
 foo = formattedRead!"%s"(value);
 ```

 But I also see `!` for some map/filter invocations. It's quite 
 confusing me.

 Can you please explain and give any link where I can learn more 
 about these things?

 Thanks a lot.


See also the following chapter in Ali's book:
http://ddili.org/ders/d.en/templates.html
Sep 27 2017
next sibling parent reply Ky-Anh Huynh <saigon example.net> writes:
On Wednesday, 27 September 2017 at 14:34:06 UTC, Eugene Wissner 
wrote:

 See also the following chapter in Ali's book:
 http://ddili.org/ders/d.en/templates.html


Thanks a lot. I will keep reading :)
Sep 27 2017
parent reply =?UTF-8?Q?Ali_=c3=87ehreli?= <acehreli yahoo.com> writes:
On 09/27/2017 08:33 AM, Ky-Anh Huynh wrote:

 On Wednesday, 27 September 2017 at 14:34:06 UTC, Eugene Wissner wrote:

 See also the following chapter in Ali's book:
 http://ddili.org/ders/d.en/templates.html


 Thanks a lot. I will keep reading :)


The fact that such an important operator is explained so late in the 
book is due to the book's strong desire to have a linear flow.

Although binary ! appears before the templates chapter as to!int, 
format!"%s", etc., I decided to get to templates only after going 
through everything that could be templatized. (For example, even 
interfaces can be templates.) I don't claim this is the best choice but 
I'm happy that some people said that they found the linear flow useful. 
(I know that others would find it boring. :) )

If I were to write the book again, one other thing that I would explain 
earlier would be UFCS, and I would use much more of it in the examples. 
(UFCS was added to the language after I wrote most of the book.)

Ali
Sep 27 2017
parent reply Mengu <mengukagan gmail.com> writes:
On Wednesday, 27 September 2017 at 17:58:27 UTC, Ali Çehreli 
wrote:

 On 09/27/2017 08:33 AM, Ky-Anh Huynh wrote:

 [...]


 Wissner wrote:

 [...]


 The fact that such an important operator is explained so late 
 in the book is due to the book's strong desire to have a linear 
 flow.

 [...]


ustad, guess you can still write the new ed. :-)
Sep 27 2017
parent =?UTF-8?Q?Ali_=c3=87ehreli?= <acehreli yahoo.com> writes:
On 09/27/2017 03:06 PM, Mengu wrote:


 ustad, guess you can still write the new ed. :-)


Since you're still around, one of these days... :)

Ali
Sep 27 2017
prev sibling parent Arun Chandrasekaran <aruncxy gmail.com> writes:
On Wednesday, 27 September 2017 at 14:34:06 UTC, Eugene Wissner 
wrote:

 On Wednesday, 27 September 2017 at 14:23:01 UTC, Ky-Anh Huynh 
 wrote:


 See also the following chapter in Ali's book:
 http://ddili.org/ders/d.en/templates.html


This chapter is what hooked me with D. Naming that chapter as 
"Templates for Human Beings" won't be an exaggeration.



 Sep 27 2017



prev sibling  parent  Gary Willoughby <dev nomad.so>  writes:


On Wednesday, 27 September 2017 at 14:23:01 UTC, Ky-Anh Huynh 
wrote:

 Can you please explain and give any link where I can learn more 
 about these things?

 Thanks a lot.


http://nomad.so/2013/07/templates-in-d-explained/



 Sep 27 2017