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digitalmars.D.learn - Removal of implicit variable "length"

reply Bradley Smith <digitalmars-com baysmith.com> writes:
In a posting from about a year ago 
(http://www.digitalmars.com/d/archives/digitalmars/D/learn/842.html), 
the implicit variable "length" was scheduled for potential
deprecation.

Is it going to be removed? If so, when?

I see this as a significant flaw in the D language. For example, what 
does the following code do?

   import std.stdio;  // for writefln

   void main() {
     static int[4] foo = [ 0, 1, 2, 3 ];
     int[] bar;
     int length = 2;
     bar = foo[0 .. length];
     writefln("bar = %s", bar);
   }


What is does the program print?
   A. bar = [0,1,2,3]
   B. bar = [0,1]

I would guess that most programmers unfamilar with D would answer "B". 
However, "A" is the correct answer. It certainly has been a lesson I've 
had to learn the hard way.

Besides, is "foo[0 .. length]" really better than "foo[0 .. 
foo.length]"? The first is slightly more convenient but the second is 
more explicit and readable.

Thanks,
   Bradley
Jun 06 2006
parent reply "Jarrett Billingsley" <kb3ctd2 yahoo.com> writes:
"Bradley Smith" <digitalmars-com baysmith.com> wrote in message 
news:e64tgp$1gvu$1 digitaldaemon.com...

 I would guess that most programmers unfamilar with D would answer "B". 
 However, "A" is the correct answer. It certainly has been a lesson I've 
 had to learn the hard way.
Have you heard of $ ? bar = foo[0 .. $]; Additionally, try turning on warnings for your original code, and you'll notice you get one. It probably is time to deprecate length inside array braces.
 Besides, is "foo[0 .. length]" really better than "foo[0 .. foo.length]"? 
 The first is slightly more convenient but the second is more explicit and 
 readable.
How about things like int[] x = ALongClassName.AnotherClassName.aNonTrivialOperation()[1 .. $]; It's certainly nice to have a shortcut in cases like this, when typing out the original expression is not only prohibitively long, but could possibly waste performance re-evaluating the reference to the array.
Jun 06 2006
parent reply Bradley Smith <digitalmars-com baysmith.com> writes:
Jarrett Billingsley wrote:
 Have you heard of $ ?
 
 bar = foo[0 .. $];
I did notice the mention of "$" in the old newsgroup thread. However, I can't find any official documentation on it.
 Additionally, try turning on warnings for your original code, and you'll 
 notice you get one.
Thanks for pointing out the warnings. I wasn't aware of that warning. Because libraries often cause many warnings, I don't regularly have warning turned on.
 How about things like
 
 int[] x = ALongClassName.AnotherClassName.aNonTrivialOperation()[1 .. $];
 
 It's certainly nice to have a shortcut in cases like this, when typing out 
 the original expression is not only prohibitively long, but could possibly 
 waste performance re-evaluating the reference to the array. 
 
Why not the following? int[] ref = ALongClassName.AnotherClassName.aNonTrivialOperation(); int[] x = ref[1 .. ref.length]; Or perhaps? int[] x = ALongClassName.AnotherClassName.aNonTrivialOperation(); x = x[1 .. x.length]; Will use of "$" be faster than using a local reference? Unless there is a reason not to create a local reference to an array, I don't think either "length" or "$" are necessary. At least "$" shouldn't cause programming errors, but it does make the language more complex. Thanks, Bradley
Jun 06 2006
next sibling parent kris <foo bar.com> writes:
Bradley Smith wrote:
 Jarrett Billingsley wrote:
 
 Have you heard of $ ?

 bar = foo[0 .. $];
I did notice the mention of "$" in the old newsgroup thread. However, I can't find any official documentation on it.
 Additionally, try turning on warnings for your original code, and 
 you'll notice you get one.
Thanks for pointing out the warnings. I wasn't aware of that warning. Because libraries often cause many warnings, I don't regularly have warning turned on.
 How about things like

 int[] x = ALongClassName.AnotherClassName.aNonTrivialOperation()[1 .. $];

 It's certainly nice to have a shortcut in cases like this, when typing 
 out the original expression is not only prohibitively long, but could 
 possibly waste performance re-evaluating the reference to the array.
Why not the following? int[] ref = ALongClassName.AnotherClassName.aNonTrivialOperation(); int[] x = ref[1 .. ref.length]; Or perhaps? int[] x = ALongClassName.AnotherClassName.aNonTrivialOperation(); x = x[1 .. x.length];
The original reason, IIRC, was with regard to using arrays + templates, where it's not always so easy to leverage temps. However, that orignal change brought us the maligned x[0..length] and its special cases. Took a long time (a year, perhaps?) and many frustrating battles to get that issue rectified, and the result was that sole '$' token
 
 Will use of "$" be faster than using a local reference?
 
 Unless there is a reason not to create a local reference to an array, I 
 don't think either "length" or "$" are necessary. At least "$" shouldn't 
 cause programming errors, but it does make the language more complex.
It was argued at the time that $len should be used, so that the $ prefix could thus signify meta-notions in general ($file, $line, $time, etc). In fact, it was perhaps the only time I recall a general concensus on anything ;) But, that notion went nowhere as you can see. We just move on
Jun 06 2006
prev sibling parent "Jarrett Billingsley" <kb3ctd2 yahoo.com> writes:
"Bradley Smith" <digitalmars-com baysmith.com> wrote in message 
news:e658a2$1r3s$1 digitaldaemon.com...

 Will use of "$" be faster than using a local reference?

 Unless there is a reason not to create a local reference to an array, I 
 don't think either "length" or "$" are necessary. At least "$" shouldn't 
 cause programming errors, but it does make the language more complex.
As Brad said, sometimes you don't have the luxury of using temporaries, such as with templates. I doubt $ is any faster, performancewise, but it's certainly faster when typing. I also wouldn't say that $ makes the language more complex - it adds a small amount of complexity, yes, but you also have to realize that it's only used in slice expressions, which in themselves are something that add complexity to the language! I just think of $ as a feature of slice expressions.
Jun 06 2006