Sorry Geoff I just don't follow your logic. Just because one doesn't exist why shouldn't the others? If I understand your logic, which clearly I don't, you are suggesting that because LC can create and count multiple empty lines, and create and count multiple empty items, it should be able to create and count a line with 5 empty words in it? Each are counted by their own definition, and just because you can do something with one doesn't mean you can do the same with the others. LC's current definitions can create interesting results:
In the Message Box: (2 lines) put "Geoff said - " & quote & "The number of words in this line is 11." & quote & cr into msg put "But LC only counts " & the number of words of msg & " words." after msg Again, I'm not suggesting the current behavior should be changed. I know it works consistently. As I said before, I think if HC was first implemented with a definition that "test" is 0 items and not a List; and "," is a List of 2 empty items, then we wouldn't be having this thread, because as Jacque said: it's a "structure that is more similar to real lists in other languages". I think Mark Wieder is right on the mark (bad pun) when he said the time is now, LC is at a critical point with hopefully droves of developers from other languages and non-developers trying it out, so the less 'quirks' (Mark Waddingham's word) the better. I love LC and the xTalk language, for me it is the best, there is nothing even close. If I wasn't so dumb I'd be able to dive into the engine and create a new keyword "datum" which would have a different definition of counting Lists to the way items does now. [I'd also like to be able to 'is a list' and return true or false in the same way I can currently 'is an array' - yes I know I can create functions to do both now] Mark's suggested addition seems a win win to me, it gives the option to count items differently and I don't have to do anything ;-) On Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 9:35 PM, Geoff Canyon <gcan...@gmail.com> wrote: > Wouldn't this mean that: > > the number of items of "test" -- puts zero > > And by extension: > > the number of words of "test" -- puts zero > the number of lines of "test" -- puts zero > > Sent from my iPad > > On Aug 14, 2013, at 7:03 AM, Kay C Lan <lan.kc.macm...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > If you put empty into an Array, it is no longer an array. IMO once you > get > > below two items you no longer have a List. > > _______________________________________________ > use-livecode mailing list > use-livecode@lists.runrev.com > Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your > subscription preferences: > http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode > _______________________________________________ use-livecode mailing list use-livecode@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode
