> I am working on an ooRexx interface to something that is normally > programmed in C. Of course, C uses zero-based indexes for thing like > memory, array positions, etc. My code could be architected to either > carry this forward to the ooRexx interface when it calls the C functions
> or it could translate the zero-based numbers to the more user friendly > (and Rexx default) one-based numbering system. There is a third path that one might consider, if it makes sense (in particular, the package needs to have some kind of persistent state, or able to get at some from the Rexx implementation), and that is: let the user choose. APL (I think it was) does this: essentially when starting to write a program using the package, you set a flag (to 0 or 1, perhaps) saying whether to use 0-based or 1-based indexing, according to preference. The package then adjusts all indexes as requested. You still have to decide what the default should be (unless not specifying is an error), but that's a much easier (read: less stressful) decision if there's a way to override it. (I'd agree with Chip on what the default should be :-).) Mike Unless stated otherwise above: IBM United Kingdom Limited - Registered in England and Wales with number 741598. Registered office: PO Box 41, North Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO6 3AU ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Verizon Developer Community Take advantage of Verizon's best-in-class app development support A streamlined, 14 day to market process makes app distribution fast and easy Join now and get one step closer to millions of Verizon customers http://p.sf.net/sfu/verizon-dev2dev _______________________________________________ Oorexx-devel mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/oorexx-devel
