What is a "special function"?

What is a "special function"?

[John ROGERS]

Hi!  Could someone please clarify something in the LRM for me?  I've
been looking at the definitions of all of the attributes, and I noticed
something for the first time.  At least 5 of the attributes are described as
"functions", but 1 of the attributes is described as a "special function".
The regular ones ('IMAGE, 'POS, 'PRED, 'SUCC, and 'VALUE) don't seem to be
much different from the "special" one ('VAL).  I haven't been able to
find anything in the LRM (or the index to the Rationale that I have)
on this.  So, can anyone tell me what a "special function" is?

If you'd like to look it up for yourself, the sections of the LRM are
3.5.5(7) and Annex A(48).

Thanks in advance,
-- 
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Re: What is a "special function"?

[Richard Pattis]

In article <56685@microsoft.UUCP>, johnro@microsoft.UUCP (John ROGERS) writes:
> Hi!  Could someone please clarify something in the LRM for me?  I've
> been looking at the definitions of all of the attributes, and I noticed
> something for the first time.  At least 5 of the attributes are described as
> "functions", but 1 of the attributes is described as a "special function".
> The regular ones ('IMAGE, 'POS, 'PRED, 'SUCC, and 'VALUE) don't seem to be
> much different from the "special" one ('VAL).  I haven't been able to
> find anything in the LRM (or the index to the Rationale that I have)
> on this.  So, can anyone tell me what a "special function" is?

This is like Seasme Street(?): one of these things is not like the others,
one of these things just doesn't belong....


I vote that the difference, derived from a real close reading of the LRM
(how else does one read it) is that while all the other functions state the
type of their parameter (it must be a unique type), VAL allows any
integer type as its parameter.  Does that make it "special" enough.
Follow ups to Church Lady.

Rich Pattis