Re: Why I like Ada

["Robert I. Eachus" <rieachus@comcast.net>]

Jeffrey Carter wrote:

> Robert I. Eachus wrote:
> 
>> I'll be darned! GNAT took that Target => Target. I was expecting it to 
>> require the second Target to use selected notation.  Its midnight, so 
>> I'll wait 'til tomorrow to figure out if that is really a bug.
> 
> 
> IANALL (and I know you are), but I'm pretty sure it's not a bug. My 
> understanding is that there is never a conflict between a formal 
> parameter name and an actual parameter name in named notation.

I realized a while ago that after midnight IANALL either. ;-)  And yes, 
it is after midnight when I am typing this. But I discussed the issue 
with Bob Duff earlier, when we were both language lawyers.  You are 
correct, the visibility of the first Target is only on the left side of 
the arrow.  Other than that, the direct scope of a parameter is inside 
the declaration of the subprogram or generic.

However, from a software engineering point of view, if not a bug it is a 
pretty dodgy usage.  Puns have no place in real code.

-- 

                                           Robert I. Eachus

"The terrorists rejoice in the killing of the innocent, and have 
promised similar violence against Americans, against all free peoples, 
and against any Muslims who reject their ideology of murder. Their 
barbarism cannot be appeased, and their hatred cannot be satisfied. 
There's only one way to deal with terror: We must confront the enemy and 
stay on the offensive until these killers are defeated." -- George W. Bush