In an effort to both (1) reduce boilerplate code, and (2) promote cross-platform reusability I propose that we implement the following Import Conditional Operators:
`||` and `&&`
Currently, import conditionals must be implemented like so:
#if os(Linux) || os(FreeBSD)
import Glibc
#else
import Darwin
#endif
With import conditional operators this would be condensed to:
import Glibc || Darwin
The first library/framework (Glibc) would be imported if found and the the second (Darwin) only in the event the first should fail.
Other Caveats:
(A) — we could limit this to one conditional operator per import line OR we could implement order of operations. Obviously, there are tradeoffs of both that we should discuss.
(B) — if-conditional statements currently explicitly show the import conditions (i.e., os(Linux) || os(FreeBSD)) this would be a detriment to this new feature. I would argue that the reduction of boilerplate code would in itself be worth this abstraction.
I believe there was a draft to merge all the "Libc" modules; let me see if
I can find that.
···
On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 3:06 PM Sean Alling via swift-evolution < swift-evolution@swift.org> wrote:
*Description*
In an effort to both (1) reduce boilerplate code, and (2) promote
cross-platform reusability I propose that we implement the following *Import
Conditional Operators*:
*`||` *and `*&&`*
Currently, import conditionals must be implemented like so:
#if os(Linux) || os(FreeBSD)
import Glibc
#else
import Darwin
#endif
With *import conditional operators* this would be condensed to:
import Glibc || Darwin
The first library/framework (Glibc) would be imported if found and the the
second (Darwin) only in the event the first should fail.
*Other Caveats:*
*(A) — *we could limit this to one conditional operator per import line
OR we could implement order of operations. Obviously, there are tradeoffs
of both that we should discuss.
*(B) —* if-conditional statements currently explicitly show the import
conditions (i.e., os(Linux) || os(FreeBSD)) this would be a detriment to
this new feature. I would argue that the reduction of boilerplate code
would in itself be worth this abstraction.
There is already an accepted but not implemented proposal to determine whether a module can be imported and conditionally compile accordingly.
While the accepted change is certainly not as compact as your notation, it has the advantage that it supports more functionality. I could, for example, include code in a file for UIKit, Cocoa, WatchKit and ostensibly some Linux UI framework depending on my target platform. If my functionality is intended around adding a single consistent feature to a Type in each module, then this is how I want to organize my code.
Besides, “||” is so JavaScript. In Swift it would be “??”, and it would potentially need to chain because there are more than 2 supported platforms.
Finally, I don’t see how you handle failure to import a module. Does compile fail, or do you provide your own implementation of the desired functionality? When Apple adds a module on one platform but not on another, then I might need to write my own implementation for platforms on which it is missing, but depend on system integrated performance on the platforms they provide it for. “canimport” provides for either using other existing # patterns, but your proposal does not.
So I recommend checking out the already-accepted proposal. But if you still need the syntax to get smaller, at least move to “??” so it looks like Swift instead of some other language.
-Ben
···
On Oct 17, 2016, at 5:05 PM, Sean Alling via swift-evolution <swift-evolution@swift.org> wrote:
Description
In an effort to both (1) reduce boilerplate code, and (2) promote cross-platform reusability I propose that we implement the following Import Conditional Operators:
`||` and `&&`
Currently, import conditionals must be implemented like so:
#if os(Linux) || os(FreeBSD)
import Glibc
#else
import Darwin
#endif
With import conditional operators this would be condensed to:
import Glibc || Darwin
The first library/framework (Glibc) would be imported if found and the the second (Darwin) only in the event the first should fail.
Other Caveats:
(A) — we could limit this to one conditional operator per import line OR we could implement order of operations. Obviously, there are tradeoffs of both that we should discuss.
(B) — if-conditional statements currently explicitly show the import conditions (i.e., os(Linux) || os(FreeBSD)) this would be a detriment to this new feature. I would argue that the reduction of boilerplate code would in itself be worth this abstraction.
Yeah I saw that thread. I think (a) this is a better solution and (b) this is applicable for use cases other than specifically Glibc/Darwin.
-Sean
···
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 17, 2016, at 19:01, Saagar Jha <saagar@saagarjha.com> wrote:
I believe there was a draft to merge all the "Libc" modules; let me see if I can find that.
On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 3:06 PM Sean Alling via swift-evolution <swift-evolution@swift.org> wrote:
Description
In an effort to both (1) reduce boilerplate code, and (2) promote cross-platform reusability I propose that we implement the following Import Conditional Operators:
`||` and `&&`
Currently, import conditionals must be implemented like so:
#if os(Linux) || os(FreeBSD)
import Glibc
#else
import Darwin
#endif
With import conditional operators this would be condensed to:
import Glibc || Darwin
The first library/framework (Glibc) would be imported if found and the the second (Darwin) only in the event the first should fail.
Other Caveats:
(A) — we could limit this to one conditional operator per import line OR we could implement order of operations. Obviously, there are tradeoffs of both that we should discuss.
(B) — if-conditional statements currently explicitly show the import conditions (i.e., os(Linux) || os(FreeBSD)) this would be a detriment to this new feature. I would argue that the reduction of boilerplate code would in itself be worth this abstraction.
I disagree. What about when you need to disambiguate?
Currently you’d need to use ‘Darwin.connect(...)’ or ‘Glibc.connect(…)’. Merging them both in to one ‘Libc’ module would make that much easier.
···
On 18 Oct 2016, at 01:07, Sean Alling via swift-evolution <swift-evolution@swift.org> wrote:
Yeah I saw that thread. I think (a) this is a better solution and (b) this is applicable for use cases other than specifically Glibc/Darwin.
-Sean
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 17, 2016, at 19:01, Saagar Jha <saagar@saagarjha.com <mailto:saagar@saagarjha.com>> wrote:
I believe there was a draft to merge all the "Libc" modules; let me see if I can find that.
On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 3:06 PM Sean Alling via swift-evolution <swift-evolution@swift.org <mailto:swift-evolution@swift.org>> wrote:
Description
In an effort to both (1) reduce boilerplate code, and (2) promote cross-platform reusability I propose that we implement the following Import Conditional Operators:
`||` and `&&`
Currently, import conditionals must be implemented like so:
#if os(Linux) || os(FreeBSD)
import Glibc
#else
import Darwin
#endif
With import conditional operators this would be condensed to:
import Glibc || Darwin
The first library/framework (Glibc) would be imported if found and the the second (Darwin) only in the event the first should fail.
Other Caveats:
(A) — we could limit this to one conditional operator per import line OR we could implement order of operations. Obviously, there are tradeoffs of both that we should discuss.
(B) — if-conditional statements currently explicitly show the import conditions (i.e., os(Linux) || os(FreeBSD)) this would be a detriment to this new feature. I would argue that the reduction of boilerplate code would in itself be worth this abstraction.