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Sender: "Team Ada: Ada Advocacy Issues (83 & 95)" <[log in to unmask]>
X-To: Matthew Heaney <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 12:30:57 -0800
Reply-To: AdaWorks <[log in to unmask]>
From: AdaWorks <[log in to unmask]>
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On Mon, 7 Dec 1998, Matthew Heaney wrote:

> If you import that type as a private, you'll have to import literals
> too:
>
> generic
>   type T is private;
>   One : in T;
>   with function "+" (L, R : T) return T is <>;

  Actually, in the design I suggested there is no need for literals.
  Instead, one would include generic formal subprograms that return
  a set of values necessary to for instantiation with any private
  type.

  For example,

      generic
        type Item is private;
        with function Zero_Equivalent return Item;
        with function Tic_First       return Item;
        with function Increment       return Item;
        with function Tic_Last        return Item;
        -- Now the arithmetic and relational operators
        -- Use default notation for all operators
        with function "+" (L, R : Item) return Item is <>;

        -- etc.

      package Generic_Math_Ops is end Generic_Math_Ops;

  With this model, one can instatiate with a record type such as a fraction,
  an access type, or any other type for which assignment is permitted. This
  can also be used as a package for instantiating under the rules of
  generic formal package parameters.  For example,

     with Generic_Math_Ops;
     generic
        with package  Math_Ops is new Generic_Math_Ops ... ;
     package Statistical_Analysis is
        -- any set of services here
     end Statistical_Analysis;

  If you do instantiate with a type for which there is a set of predefined
  operators, the use of the default reduces the number of actual arguments.

  I prefer to define generic formal functions rather than constants to make
  the design more flexible.  In fact, I have eschewed the use of deferred
  constants in favor of functions for ordinary packages.  Deferred constants
  are not as maintainable as functions returning constant values.

  Richard Riehle
  [log in to unmask]

  http://www.adaworks.com

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