What is the main point of reader macros? Is it so you can define your
own short-hand syntax, or is it the ability to get more direct access
to the reader?
If it is the first point, then I'd be happy to not have them - to me
shorthand doesn't buy much.
If it is the second point then why not simply have the reader pipe raw
text into a reader macro?
Ie, usage would be like
(def-reader-macro pass-through [raw-string]
(read-string raw-string))
Usage would be (pass-through (+ 1 2)). The pass-through call would be
given "(+ 1 2)" in the raw-string argument and must return a value
that can be eval'd.
More complex "reader" macros could be (infix x + y + z / 3).
Thoughts?
Brad
On Aug 13, 2:23 pm, Aaron Cohen <remled...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 5:14 PM, Meikel Brandmeyer<m...@kotka.de> wrote:
> > Hi,
>
> > Am 13.08.2009 um 22:30 schrieb Brian Hurt:
>
> >> Now, I can certainly see a lot of potiential downsides to this.
> >> Redefining what #{} or #() means is just the start.
>
> > I think, this is the reason Rich is not very positive for that idea: because
> > nobody came up with a way of defining "namespaces" for reader macros, so
> > that they don't interfere with each other.
>
> >> But it'd make it a lot easier to do things with DSLs.
>
> > I'm happy with macros for DSLs. Actually the macros just quasiquote their
> > arguments and pass them on to actual functions.
>
> >> So, what are people's thoughts?
>
> > I've yet to see the desire for a self-defined reader macro. But I'm no
> > Common Lisper (a Schemer actually). So I'm not used to reader macros. Maybe
> > I'm missing the paradise.
>
> > I'm not necessarily opposed to the idea. But I wouldn't give it high
> > priority either.
>
> > Sincerely
> > Meikel
>
> Would it make any difference if the scope of the reader macro was
> limited to the file which defines/uses it? Any file that wanted to
> use a custom reader macro would then have to add its own
> (use-reader-macro ...) statements, and there'd be no possibility for
> conflicts.
>
> Something like:
>
> (defn comment-block-begin []
> "Dispatch function for beginning of block comments")
>
> (use-reader-macro '#| comment-block-begin)
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Clojure" group.
To post to this group, send email to clojure@googlegroups.com
Note that posts from new members are moderated - please be patient with your
first post.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
clojure+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/clojure?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
