Re: syntax completion - a bad thing?

[lance@eco.twg.com (Lance Kibblewhite)]

Andrew Kelly <andrewk@vsl.com.au> wrote:

>Looking at Rational's Apex Ada development environment, I am
>worried the inclusion of syntax completion in the "analyser"
>(pre-compilation phase).
>
>It seems to me that syntax completion, as a step during 
>compilation, is not a good thing as it *repairs* errors 
>rather than report them (eg. unpaired begin/ends).  The 
>obvious risk being that incorrect code will quite happily be 
>"repaired" (very possibly, incorrectly) and will compile 
>successfully.
>
>This seems, to me, to be more dangerous than it is useful ...
>eg. If you accidentally delete the "end" from a nested "if", 
>where does the analyser stuff the "end"?  Indeed, even if it 
>gets the placement correct (eg. by inference from the text
>indentation) if code statements have been inadvertantly deleted
>as well, a clearly erroneous file will compile cleanly.
>
>I believe syntax completion should be available during editting, 
>but not automatically employed during compilation.  As far as I
>can discover, it cannot be switched off in Apex either.
>
>Has anybody had any experiences with syntax completion that may
>confirm or allay my fears?

In case nobody else noticed, this question also appeared in the RISKS
DIGEST, edition 18.81.

Prehaps those of you that are able to place in this 'risk' in the
correct perspective could also follow up to that forum.  I have
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-- Lance.