Re: Question on bounded / unbounded strings

[gautier_niouzes@hotmail.com]

Hello,

Many languages have types like String (fixed size - rigid but fast) and Unbounded_String (extensible - flexible but slower) and sometimes something inbetween like the bounded strings.
Ada has started with (fixed) String which is a bit difficult for beginners. However, contrary to other languages, "fixed" doesn't mean that the length must be hardcoded in the program. For instance an upper length N can be an "in" parameter which can be any value. Another goodie is that with initialization, the string bounds don't need to be specified. You can have:

  s: String:= Get_Line(file);

Also a String as parameter of a subprogram can have any length.
So you'll be done with your program with a few subprograms and the Get_Line function.

(Generally, you can use the functional programming style to work the rigidity of the type String around. You can see an example here 
  https://sf.net/p/cbsg/code/HEAD/tree/corporate_bullshit.adb
which is done entirely this way...)

The Unbounded_String type is useful rather as a container, like storing database string items into records. The function To_String gets you a String from an Unbounded_String.
_________________________ 
Gautier's Ada programming 
http://gautiersblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Ada 
NB: follow the above link for a valid e-mail address