RE: [sv-bc] 12.4.5 Optional argument list - question

Hmm, would we want:
 
a = b + c;
 
to possibly mean call function b and function c, get their return
values, and assign the sum of those to a?
 
If we allow the omission of parentheses in non void function calls, then
the above, when there are available function definitions in scope,
would have that meaning.  
 
Larry Wall would feel right at home :-)
 
I, for one, would rather that we require the visual cue of an () after b
and c to indicate a function is to be called.  This is even more
important, IMHO, given importation of packages and such that may define
a number of functions though the definition is not conveniently visible
to the
casual reader.
 

Michael McNamara

mcnamara@cadence.com

408-914-6808 work

408-348-7025 cell

 

 


________________________________

	From: owner-sv-bc@eda.org [mailto:owner-sv-bc@eda.org] On Behalf
Of Bresticker, Shalom
	Sent: Monday, April 17, 2006 1:42 AM
	To: sv-bc@eda.org
	Subject: [sv-bc] 12.4.5 Optional argument list - question
	
	

	12.4.5 says,

	

	"When a void function or class function method specifies no
arguments, the empty parenthesis, (), following the subroutine name
shall be optional. This is also true for tasks, void functions, and
class methods that require arguments, when all arguments have defaults
specified. It shall be illegal to omit the parenthesis in a directly
recursive nonvoid function method call that is not hierarchically
qualified."

	

	This is unclear about nonvoid functions.

	The first two sentences specify when parentheses (not
'parenthesis') may be omitted. Both apply to void functions only. This
implies that nonvoid function calls may never omit the parentheses. 

	The last sentence says that parentheses may not be omitted in a
nonvoid function call in a corner case. This implies that they may be
omitted in all other cases.

	What is correct?

	Thanks,

	Shalom

	Shalom Bresticker

	Intel Jerusalem LAD DA

	+972 2 589-6852

	+972 54 721-1033

	I don't represent Intel