Hello PHP Internals,
This is my first message to the list. I've been reading via the archive
since I read the 5.4RC1 announcement. (Keep up the great work guys - I'm
loving the new stuff)
Up until now I haven't had anything to say that wasn't already being
talked about, but the topic of short hand syntax is of particular
interest to me.
Before I start, I think I need to make clear that I am in general not a
fan of making cryptic code (ala perl). I tend to use long descriptive
variable names and try to make my code easy to read so that comments
aren't usually necessary.
Saying that though, I am a big supporter of the new short hand array
syntax. From a grammatical point of view, I see no reason why my code
needs to be scattered with the word 'array'. The simple square brackets
['a'=>'b'] I find just as easy to understand and they don't confuse me.
(unlike something along the lines of regex, that can easily confuse).
I see the desire to wanting to remove the word function as a similar
issue. When you use inline functions a lot, your code is filled with
lots of the word 'function'. This word doesn't necessarily need to be
there for your code still to make sense.
Also, on a similar vein of thought, if your function is only doing
something small, why do we need to put the word 'return' in there?
I have been thinking of what syntax(s) could work to shorten the code
but not to make the code confusing. I am splitting up my ideas in to
separate sections. I think that if a short-hand function syntax is to be
accepted, it should be useful in many circumstances - eg, it shouldn't
necessarily be limited to one liners.
Okay, here is a base example:
$modify = function( $x )use( $my_constant ){ return $x + $my_constant; };
1) REMOVING THE WORD 'function':
One solution is to simply remove the word function completely:
$modify = ( $x )use($my_constant ){ return $x + $my_constant; };
On first glance, to me, this doesn't look like I'm starting to write a
function. I could perhaps be opening a bracket to do some maths. So,
what could be done to make it more obvious? I suggest using a character
to represent function. Personally I like colon:
$modify = :( $x )use( $my_constant ){ return $x + $my_constant; };
Now, I know this doesn't immediately scream function, but it is a
different/specific syntax which should hopefully lead to less confusion.
2) REMOVING THE WORD 'return':
Okay, my function is still a bit wordy for what it's doing. How do we
remove return? I quite like the use of => that has been suggested in
previous posts.
$modify = :( $x )use( $my_constant )=> $x + $my_constant;
3) REMOVING THE WORD 'use':
Personally I don't think use is causing a problem, I find it helps the
grammar of this function. If it was to go though, it could be replaced
with something like a colon:
$modify = :( $x : $my_constant )=> $x + $my_constant;
Is this going too far? Is it now too cryptic?
4) REMOVING THE BRACKETS?
In lots of the examples of short hand closures in other languages there
are no brackets. I think that might be going too far, but perhaps not:
$modify = : $x : $my_constant => $x + $my_constant;
Too much! This line simply confuses me!
OTHER EXAMPLES
So, personally I don't think shortening needs to go as far as 3 or 4.
But, I am a fan of 1 and 2.
To demonstrate more how this might look, I'm using the code examples
Lazare used in his original post:
// Mapping:
$a->select( function($x){ return $x->getName(); } );
// Filtering:
$a->where( function($x)use($y){ return $x==$y; } );
// Currying:
$add = function($x){ return function($y)use($x){ return $x+$y; }; };
With my examples of shortening, these become:
// Mapping:
$a->select( :($x)=> $x->getName() );
// Filtering:
$a->where( :($x)use($y)=> $x==$y );
// Currying:
$add = :($x)=> :($y)use($x)=>$x+$y ;
Hmm... I don't like my currying example, it's starting to boggle my
mind. How about:
$add = :($x)=>( :($y)use($x)=>$x+$y );
Much better.
Regardless of all of this, I actually don't find myself using too many
inline functions. (Not to the extent I was writing 'array' all over my
code anyway) - So I can't argue srongly about function shortening making
it's way in to PHP.
Perhaps once we're all using inline functions on every other line of our
code there'll be a bigger demand for it!
Best regards,
Jezz Goodwin
