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Groups > comp.lang.c > #73143

Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage

From Bartc <bc@freeuk.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.c
Subject Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage
Date 2015-10-17 10:32 +0100
Organization A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID <mvt4f4$fah$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References <40812880-9a99-48c6-9d67-6d6a98be00e1@googlegroups.com> <mvrp94$p8a$1@dont-email.me> <18125266-d647-4cd1-9502-363283e67765@googlegroups.com>

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On 16/10/2015 22:38, Rick C. Hodgin wrote:
> On Friday, October 16, 2015 at 5:15:25 PM UTC-4, Bart wrote:

>> (I could go on, because my POV is that of someone who might have to
>> implement it! This stuff cannot be ambiguous or ill-defined.)
>
> I am looking at an integrated toolset where the GUI would auto-fill
> in that information on-demand.  Flip a setting, and it automatically
> inserts all of the missing members for display, but they're not
> actually needed because the references are explicit.

I think that's a better approach than having it part of the language.

Let the IDE show the possible .member names or even let it choose the 
best match based on type. But the result source will have an actual 
.member name filled in so that the code remains readable (and people 
don't wonder why you're working with entire structs all over the place).

An alternative if you feel the need to have it as part of the language, 
is to add it as special syntax:

   a = foo.auto;

The 'auto' or whatever special name is chosen, is replaced by the best 
match member of foo. Then the reader will have a better idea of what's 
going on.

(I use a similar idea here:   a = cast(b); where this simply casts b to 
whatever type a needs. There is less need to know what type b is, and 
there is less maintenance.)

But I think there will usually be too much ambiguity for a general 
purpose language feature:

   foo = foo;

will presumably be ambiguous. But:

   foo = foo.i;      // or:

   foo.i = foo;

won't be. But they look odd.

-- 
Bartc

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C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 13:29 -0700
  Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Siri Cruz <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2015-10-16 13:47 -0700
    Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-16 14:12 -0700
  Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-16 22:15 +0100
    Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 14:38 -0700
      Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-17 10:32 +0100
        Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-17 05:26 -0700
          Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2015-10-17 14:17 +0100
            Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-17 06:48 -0700
              Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2015-10-17 19:01 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-17 11:17 -0700
    Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-16 15:28 -0700
      Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-17 01:41 +0100
        Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 18:23 -0700
      Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-18 11:04 +0200
  Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-17 10:31 +1300
    Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 14:38 -0700
      Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-17 11:14 +1300
        Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 15:25 -0700
          Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-17 11:31 +1300
            Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 15:38 -0700
              Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-17 12:32 +1300
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-18 11:35 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-18 11:16 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-18 13:40 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-18 17:35 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-18 10:52 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-18 11:02 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2015-10-18 19:59 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-18 12:15 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2015-10-18 21:41 +0100
                Likeliehood of RDC/SeaAlive implementation (Was: C struct syntax allowance by usage) gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2015-10-19 08:23 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2015-10-18 14:02 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2015-10-18 14:19 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-18 21:13 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-18 20:37 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-18 20:27 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-18 23:14 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage asetofsymbols@gmail.com - 2015-10-18 15:09 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-18 16:11 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-19 07:57 +1300
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-18 20:11 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-19 09:19 +1300
          Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-18 11:19 +0200
            Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2015-10-18 03:08 -0700
              Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-18 13:52 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2015-10-18 05:39 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-18 14:57 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-19 10:31 +1300
              Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2015-10-18 15:49 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2015-10-18 16:53 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2015-10-19 01:50 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2015-10-19 02:28 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-19 12:38 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-19 12:09 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-19 14:26 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-19 13:34 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-20 02:36 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2015-10-19 05:09 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-19 14:41 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2015-10-19 06:08 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-19 15:20 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2015-10-19 08:24 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-20 08:43 +1300
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2015-10-19 13:00 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2015-10-19 20:34 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-20 09:47 +1300
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-19 16:32 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2015-10-20 10:37 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-19 21:24 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2015-10-20 13:49 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2015-10-20 07:33 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-20 15:53 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2015-10-20 10:37 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-21 05:05 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2015-10-21 02:02 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-21 06:07 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-21 14:15 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-21 09:23 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-21 18:30 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-21 12:13 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-21 21:17 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-21 14:21 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-21 14:55 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-21 15:45 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-22 14:33 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-22 08:54 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-23 15:59 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-23 15:03 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2015-10-24 10:37 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-21 23:26 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-21 15:56 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-22 05:19 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-22 11:08 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-22 14:58 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-22 14:06 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-22 07:41 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-22 14:00 +0100
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2015-10-22 21:00 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-22 14:57 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2015-10-21 14:41 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2015-10-21 13:01 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-21 13:25 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2015-10-22 07:44 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2015-10-21 13:41 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-22 05:22 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2015-10-22 01:01 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Les Cargill <lcargill99@comcast.com> - 2015-10-22 08:00 -0500
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-10-21 09:49 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2015-10-21 13:20 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-20 15:40 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-10-20 11:55 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2015-10-20 10:34 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-21 05:20 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-21 05:11 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-10-21 09:47 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-22 05:32 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-10-22 10:08 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-22 21:45 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-10-22 19:09 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-10-22 19:22 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-22 17:49 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2015-10-22 21:13 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-23 11:36 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2015-10-22 20:18 -0500
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-23 11:55 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-23 11:14 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2015-10-23 09:09 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-24 09:31 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2015-11-10 15:17 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-11-10 10:39 -0800
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-11-10 11:02 -0800
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-10-23 15:54 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2015-10-23 13:51 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-10-23 17:41 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2015-11-10 15:32 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-23 15:17 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2015-10-23 16:34 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-24 09:51 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2015-10-24 10:01 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-10-24 12:38 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2015-10-24 13:56 -0500
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-10-24 15:17 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2015-10-25 13:47 -0500
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-25 23:46 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-25 07:05 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-10-25 10:59 -0400
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-26 02:24 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-25 11:13 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2015-10-26 02:58 +0000
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage supercat@casperkitty.com - 2015-10-24 11:02 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Sjouke Burry <burrynulnulfour@ppllaanneett.nnll> - 2015-10-24 20:13 +0200
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2015-10-24 12:45 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-24 10:30 +1300
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2015-10-19 12:05 +0100
  Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 15:57 -0700
    Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2015-10-17 00:54 +0100
      Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 17:19 -0700
      Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-17 15:33 +1300
        Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 19:41 -0700
          Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-17 15:58 +1300
            Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 20:10 -0700
              Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2015-10-17 16:49 +1300
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 20:59 -0700
                Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-10-18 11:32 +0200
          Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2015-10-16 23:15 -0400
            Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 20:34 -0700
              Re: C struct syntax allowance by usage "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2015-10-16 20:45 -0700

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