small extension to `...` notation

Philippa Cowderoy flippa at flippac.org
Wed Mar 8 16:09:55 EST 2006


On Wed, 8 Mar 2006, Doaitse Swierstra wrote:

> In Haskell we write `f` in order to infixify the identifier f. In ABC the
> stuff between backquotes is not limited to an identifier, but any expression
> may occur there. This would allow one to write e.g.
> 
>  xs `zipWith (+)` ys
> 
> In general  <expr1> `<expr2>` <expr3> => (<expr2>) <expr1> <expr3>
> 
> I think it is a small extension to Haskell, which does not break anything
> existing, and provides yet another opportunity to beautify one programs,
> especially in combination with programs like lhs2TeX.
> 

There is one problem with this: it doesn't nest, you can't tell an opening 
from a closing backquote, which can cause problems when transforming or 
rearranging code. Possibly `(<expr>)` and the existing `<identifier>`?

-- 
flippa at flippac.org

'In Ankh-Morpork even the shit have a street to itself...
 Truly this is a land of opportunity.' - Detritus, Men at Arms


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