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Re: More minor issues

This page is part of the web mail archives of SRFI 44 from before July 7th, 2015. The new archives for SRFI 44 contain all messages, not just those from before July 7th, 2015.



On Thu, Oct 16, 2003 at 04:31:32AM -0700, Bradd W. Szonye wrote:
> The explanation of * and % is confusing. The SRFI states:
> 
>     When * is encountered in the definitions below, it is implied that
>     the asterisk is replaced with a function for the specific collection
>     and each of the collection's supertypes for which the procedure is
>     defined. For example, if we had a 'list' flexible sequence
>     collection, the functions list-contains?,
>     flexible-sequence-contains?, sequence-contains?, bag-contains? must
>     all exist, but collection-contains? does not.
> 
> But the *-methods seem to be defined for the supertype, not the subtype.
> Given that, the above explanation is confusing. Wouldn't it be better to
> state:
> 
>     When * is encountered in the definitions below, it means that the
>     function exists for the named collection and all of its subtypes.
>     For example, all bags and subtypes of bag have a *-contains?
>     function: bag-contains?, sequence-contains?, and even
>     list-contains?.
> 

That would be more clear, yes.

> polymorphic. I think they are, but the SRFI isn't entirely clear. If so,
> please clarify; for example:
> 
>     Each *-function may be applied to the specific type named or to any
>     of its subtypes. For example, bag-contains? can find a value in a
>     sequence, flexible-sequence, or list.

Yes, they are supposed to be polymorphic.  This is stated at the end
of the text in the Procedures section:

           Encountering * as a function argument
           indicates that the argument must be a collection
           of the type the function is defined for, or any sub-type. 

> 
> Unrelated to this: The *-remove functions state that they "return two
> values." I had to check the reference implementation to confirm that
> this means "returns using VALUES." Perhaps the function prototype should
> read:
> 
>     procedure: *-remove-left![!] * => (VALUES % value)

I think the current form is sufficient, but I'll add a sentence 
clarifiying that multiple items on the right of => imply the return of 
multiple values.

	Scott

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