Re: pervasives (was: Re: [Caml-list] How to read three integers from a text-file... ?)

[John Max Skaller <skaller@ozemail.com.au>]

Chris Hecker wrote:

>
>> This function assumes that every integer is on a separate line. This is
>> rarely true in programming contests.
>
>
> Ah, I missed the "read one line" part.  Interesting that print_int 
> doesn't insert a newline but read_int eats one...another assymetry.  
> int_of_string also seems to require that the string be only the 
> integer, so int_of_string "123 some more" excepts.
>
> It seems like it might be useful to have the core simple types 
> (string, int, float) have orthogonal reading and writing functions in 
> Pervasives.  Maybe it's not worth the effort, though... 

I have a philosophy .. a bit extreme perhaps .. I NEVER read anything
other than lines (or whole files). Always parse in-core. So the 'asymmetry'
doesn't worry me .. the existence of useless functions does though.
I'd get rid of all input other than read line/read file. Similarly,
though I'm slightly less pedantic here .. output should be formatted 
in-core.
So you only need one output function (print string).
I'd get rid of all the others .. and also get rid of printf ..

I can only site an example .. an academic compiler that printed
terms out  .. I had to rewrite reams of code
to generate strings when I needed to reroute the output ..
there was also a need to generate 'potential' output ..
diagnostic information that needed to be gleaned
to print an error message .. before it was known
if there was actually an error.

In-core formatting/parsing is sometimes slower
than doing the same job on output/input,
and may use more memory .. but the contexts where this is important are
fairly rare.

-- 
John Max Skaller, mailto:skaller@ozemail.com.au
snail:10/1 Toxteth Rd, Glebe, NSW 2037, Australia.
voice:61-2-9660-0850




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