Hi, Andrew,
A J Martin wrote:
> Hi, Joel!
>
>> /initial -- Specify an initial value for all elements
>>it is consistent that the (single!) initial value is uses for all
> elements.
>
> Hmmm, at the moment, I can't see a good use for an array that has multiple
> references to the one series or object. :-/ The /Initial refinement seems,
> to me, to indicate a initial value for each element, implying that each
> element in the result is distinct.
I guess we're just differing over the interpretation of the words
here. I read the phrases "a value for all elements" and "a value
for each element" as slightly different (but see below).
> I believe that 'array is more useful to
> most people when each value is a unique value, like:
>
When dealing with reference values I certainly agree that it would
be more useful if /INITIAL gave a *spec* to be used to construct
an initial value for each element. My quibble was only with the
notion of calling the present behavior a bug, instead of saying
that it would have been more useful if ARRAY worked in the way that
you (and I) would have expected.
I'm just being an old grouch on this point because I've recently
been bitten again by a subtlety that isn't documented anywhere
that I could find, so I had to resort to "particle physics" just
to figure out what the interpreter was doing (and have to hope
that it won't change in a future release).
It's just my old build-to-spec temperament, chanting:
If there ain't no spec,
there ain't no bugs!
;-)
-jn-
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