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Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada
From: Justin Gombos <rpbkbq.xax.gld@uluv.kbq>
Subject: Records that could be arrays
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Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2006 04:11:34 GMT
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Date: 2006-02-23T04:11:34+00:00
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I noticed this example code in 5.4.4 of the Ada Quality and Style
Guide:

  type Coordinate is
     record
        Row    : Local_Float;
        Column : Local_Float;
     end record;

  type Window is
     record
        Top_Left     : Coordinate;
        Bottom_Right : Coordinate;
     end record;

Would anyone here write something like that?

They are trying to illustrate that records should not always be flat,
which is a fine example for that purpose, but this seems to set a poor
example.  Does anyone see a reason to use a record when an array can
be used?  My version of the same structure would look more like:

  type Axis          is (Row, Column);
  type Window_Vertex is (Top_Left, Bottom_Right);

  type Coordinate is array (Axis)          of Local_Float;
  type Window     is array (Window_Vertex) of Coordinate;

I have set a rule for myself: Composite types composed solely of one
type of element should be declared as arrays rather than records.
I've never seen this rule in a coding standard.  The idea is that you
can be more expressive with an array.  Example- there are more options
when it comes to an arrays role in control structures.  Plus the
"others =>" notation is available.  Thoughts?

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