ftp.cs.arizona.edu/ftp.cs.arizona.edu.tar/ftp.cs.arizona.edu/icon/newsgrp/group93b.txt/000059_icon-group-sender _Wed May 5 03:34:42 1993.msg

Internet Message Format | 1993-06-16 | 2KB

Received: by cheltenham.cs.arizona.edu; Wed, 5 May 1993 05:24:23 MST
Via: uk.ac.manchester.computer-science; Wed, 5 May 1993 11:11:47 +0100
From: Steve Holden <[e-mail]>
Date: Wed, 5 May 93 10:05:31 BST
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Icon fan club ...
Status: R
Errors-To: [e-mail]

Richard l. Goerwitz ([e-mail]) writes:

> I am not sure what you're talking about when it comes to {}, except in
> the sense that {} can always be used to group a code block, just as in
> C.  Automatic semicolon insertion is also an interesting issue.  Most
> inveterate Icon programmers find it silly to have to insert a semicolon
> after every line.  We mainly use the semicolon to separate two expres-
> sions abutted on the same line.  Generally it is lacking from idiomatic
> Icon code, and with good reason:  It is generally superfluous even in
> languages that force one to use it!

Personally my only problem with the {} braces is that I can't make
declarations inside the code blocks they enbrace.  This tends to clutter
up the larger procedures with declarations for locals which are only used
with limited scope.

Not knowing the guts of the systems I'm not sure how easy it would be to
alter Icon's syntax and semantics.  Would this be a reasonable request
for enhancement?

regards
 Steve
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