RE: The "()" operator revisited.

["amado.alves" <amado.alves@netcabo.pt>]

<<...To get something that could match a generic array parameter would require a
lot of restrictions on abstract arrays, in particular that the indice types
would have to be abstract discrete types. This would rule out abstract
arrays such as what we see in this example.>>

Which would be unfortunate. One solution would to add abstract arrays to the set of generic parameters. This whole proposal should articulate with other proposals: user-defined ":=", implicit conversion. Also, there was already a thread on the current issue, some months ago. Implicit conversion could solve the problems of having non-discrete values for the index, and literals. All together this would be a really big change to the language and there is no way it's going to make it in Ada 2005. As someone already said, better write the language from scratch. It is a fascinating issue, but academic.

The alternative is to have abstract arrays as a severely restricted class (perhaps a subclass of arrays). Actually the original proposal so it seems. But I doubt it makes in time to Ada 2005.

In sum, I must have too much free time on my hands to be posting this, because I don't believe any currently appearing proposal is going to make it in time for Ada 2005, and I fear Ada 2005 is going to be the last Ada. With luck we'll be designing a new language, incorporating the lessons learnt from Ada 1983-2005.