Feature #25
Function "Call"
Description
In CoCoA-5 there was a function called "Call"
(apply a function to given arguments)
called like this ;-)
MyMax(Function("LT_Standard"),3,5);
Now it is pointless because we can call directly "LT_Standard(3,5);"
instead of calling it with "Call" (having fun ;-)
Moreover in CoCoA-5 there is no function called "Function" to call (hahaha)
Now the serious question: should we keep "Call" for backward compatibility?
2014-08 Final decision: OBSOLETE
Related issues
History
#1
Updated by Anna Maria Bigatti over 12 years ago
Updated by - Category set to CoCoA-4 function: obsolete
#2
Updated by John Abbott over 12 years ago
Updated by JAA opposes the proposal because he thinks that it is no longer needed now that we have functions as first class objects (and he also thinks that Call was an ugly appendage). He is willing to be persuaded otherwise if a reasonable example can be found where Call produces a neater solution than using a first-class function value.
The lack of backward compatibility is unlikely to be a serious problem because Call was used only rarely (e.g. 6 times in the C4 packages).
#3
Updated by John Abbott over 12 years ago
The Call function is used when running the C4 tests. Not sure how easy it will be to rewrite the code which runs the tests if Call is not available -- needs investigation.
#4
Updated by Anna Maria Bigatti over 12 years ago
John Abbott wrote:
The Call function is used when running the C4 tests. Not sure how easy it will be to rewrite the code which runs the tests if Call is not available -- needs investigation.
The only call I found in packages/ts/ is in DoTests which is not called.
I believe also other calls in the packages can be updated. (crossing fingers)
#5
Updated by John Abbott about 12 years ago
- % Done changed from 0 to 50
Based on the premise "It is easier to add features later than to remove them", JAA suggests that we do not offer a Call function similar to that in C4.
If a genuine need for such a function arises then we can reconsider the question (but I doubt that the need will ever arise).
#6
Updated by John Abbott about 12 years ago
A find-grep shows that Call appears in the following files:
cocoa5.cpkg
contrib/CantStop.cpkg
contrib/thmproving.cpkg
list.cpkg
man/help.cpkg
monomial_ideals.cpkg
ts/ts_lib.cpkg
Anna, could you very that all these uses can be easy replaced by other code in C5 (or even removed altogether).
#7
Updated by Anna Maria Bigatti about 10 years ago
- Target version set to CoCoA-5.1.0 Easter14
#8
Updated by John Abbott about 10 years ago
- Target version changed from CoCoA-5.1.0 Easter14 to CoCoA-5.1.1 Seoul14
#9
Updated by Anna Maria Bigatti over 9 years ago
- Assignee set to Anna Maria Bigatti
- Estimated time set to 2.50 h
It is now officially documented as OBSOLETE, so I close this issue.
#10
Updated by John Abbott over 9 years ago
- Status changed from New to Closed
- % Done changed from 50 to 100
Apparently this has already been done (but Anna forgot to "close" properly).