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XLR: Extensible Language and Runtime
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A function that computes the maximum of two integers can be written as:
function Max(X, Y : integer) return integer is if X < Y then return Y else return X This same logic applies to other numeric types as well, so we might be tempted to use the number generic type we used in the factorial example. However, we can compare things that are not numbers (for instance text, sorted lexically). All we need is a < operator. Defining a validated generic type allows us to check for the operator before any instantiation. We can name that generic type ordered:
generic type ordered if X, Y : ordered Test : boolean := X < Y In many cases, it is useful to compare more than two values. Assuming an order where the maximum can be computed by comparing values two at a time (there are order relations where this wouldn't work, for instance "is a descendant of"), we can extend the Max function to take an arbitrary number of arguments:
function Max(X : ordered) return ordered is return X function Max(X : ordered; ...) return ordered is result := Max(...) if result < X then result := X The definition above can be used to compare arbitrary sets of values:
X : real := Max(1.5, 2.6, -3.9) Y : integer := Max(1,3,5,6,7,9) Z : text := Max("Hello", "World") It is possible to add other partial definitions of Max so that elements of the argument list can be containers themselves. For instance:
function Max(C : container of ordered; ...) return ordered is result := Max(...) X : ordered for X in C loop result := Max(X, result) With such an additional definition, it becomes possible to write:
X, Y, Z : real A, B : array[1..7] of real TheMax : real := Max(X, A, Y, B, Z) An interesting exercise left for the reader is to compare the code representation above to representations of the same concept in other languages, in particular using Concept Programming metrics.
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Copyright 2007 Christophe de Dinechin (Blog)
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