Re: Array of Variant Records Question...

["Matthew Heaney" <matthew_heaney@acm.org>]

In article <eExB3.6$ZR.1146@news.wenet.net> , "Mike Silva" <mjsilva@jps.net>
wrote:

> I didn't get it -- what is the flaw?  What would be the "proper" solution to
> remove the flaw?

> Mike
>
> Matthew Heaney wrote in message <37d6a45c@news1.prserv.net>...
>
>>Sorry it's a bit complicated; this is one of the glaring flaws in the
>>language.  But as you can see there is a work-around.

To have array initialization a la Fortran, something like:

  type T (Id : Positive := 1) is record ... end record;

  type TA is array (Positive range <>) of T;

  function Init (I : Positive) return T;

  O : TA (1 .. 5) := (for I in O'Range => O (I) := Init (I));

where

  function Init (I : Positive) return T is
    O : TA (I);
  begin
    return O;
  end Init;


This syntax is off the top of my head; there are probably better ways to do
it, that would obviate the need for Init.

The language maintainers also have to settle the issue of invoking
constructors for limited types during the declaration of the object.  One
proposal is to allow constructors (functions returning T) to be called in
the declarative region.