From: Nobuyoshi Nakada <nobu@...>
Date: 2008-02-29T13:51:02+09:00
Subject: Re: Named sprintf parameters

Hi,

At Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:57:23 +0900,
Trans wrote in [ruby-talk:292860]:
> I have a question and perhaps a bit of challenge for those with mad
> parse skills: Has anyone ever considered named parameters for sprintf/
> printf? It would be quite useful (to me at least) to be able to do:

Yes, once I had posted the patch for it, and was rejected.

>   "I am %(name)s." % { :name => "Tom" ]
> 
> Has anyone worked on something like this before? Is there anything
> equivalent in the Perl world or other language? I realize we can use
> numerals to identify the substitutions, but I feel the labels are much
> more readable. Moreover, ultimately it would be interesting to see:
> 
>   "I am %(name)s." % binding
> 
> Making use of the binding's local_variables.

Though I don't feel it attractive, I believe named parameter is
an important feature for I18N, and IIRC, ruby-gettext has it.

-- 
Nobu Nakada