From: "Brian Schröder" <ruby.brian@...>
Date: 2005-07-28T21:13:50+09:00
Subject: Re: Idea for Ruby 2.0

On 28/07/05, Nikolai Weibull
<mailing-lists.ruby-talk@rawuncut.elitemail.org> wrote:
> Brian Schr�der wrote:
> 
> > On 28/07/05, Nikolai Weibull
> > <mailing-lists.ruby-talk@rawuncut.elitemail.org> wrote:
> 
> > > I was thinking whether Ruby 2.0 should introduce I-don't-care-type
> > > variables, like Haskell or Prolog has.  It would make all
> > > identifiers beginning with a lowline invalid, except in
> > > parameter-lists, which could mean too much incompatability with Ruby
> > > 1.x, but perhaps it's worth at least some thought?,
> 
> > Why would it make all identifiers beginning with an underscore
> > invalid? One don't care variable should be enough for everybody I
> > think ;-).
> >
> > a, _, b, _, c = *function()
> >
> > would make sense to me, though
> >
> > a, _a, b, _b, c = *function()
> >
> > could continue to set five variables.
> 
> Well, it depends on how you would want it.  In Prolog (don't remember
> how Haskell does it), all variable beginning with a lowline are ignored
> - it adds some documentational value.  Perhaps only _ is enough,
>         nikolai

But only for the sake of documentational value it works right now out
of the box. Just ignore variables beginning with an _ in your program,
and you are done. Or is your aim to optimize the time the assignment
takes?

regards,

Brian

-- 
http://ruby.brian-schroeder.de/

Stringed instrument chords: http://chordlist.brian-schroeder.de/