4 ms·

I frequently split long statements over multiple lines for readability purposes. Having an explicit statement terminator makes this possible.

anonymoushn 14y ago
You can do this without an explicit statement terminator. In Scala, you can write something like this and just have it work. foo.bar(arg, objectToComputeArg2.computeArg(innerArg1, innerArg2, innerArg3), arg3) You can do the same in Python or in Lua. Lua will yell at you when it's actually ambiguous, as in function_returning_a_function(arg)(arg_to_returned_function) (it_is_not_clear_whether_this_is_a_call_to_the_value_returned_by_the_previous_line()) You can disambiguate this with parentheses or using a semicolon, though. There's never actually a need to use a semicolon.
jerf 14y ago
Having an explicit terminator makes it maximally flexible, but certainly not "possible". Python does it just fine, but the rules, while mostly sensible, do have a couple of corner cases that can catch you. Javascript does it somewhat less fine, with quite a few more corner cases, including a couple that definitely routinely hit people. But in both cases, it can be done. Nor are those the only two examples.
mbell 14y ago
I do this all the time in Groovy and don't use semicolons...
- vorg 14y ago
  > I do this all the time in Groovy and don't use semicolons Groovy's semicolon-less mode has lots of syntax restrictions. E.g.this doesn't compile... println true ? "yes" : "no"
  - mbell 14y ago
    > Groovy's semicolon-less mode has lots of syntax restrictions. E.g.this doesn't compile... I would't say 'lots'. It pretty much boils down to one thing: 'leave the operator on the previous line' println true ? "yes" : "no" For example is just fine.
    - vorg 14y ago
      This compiles and runs OK in Java... class Hello{ public static void main(String[] args){ System.out.println( true ? "yes" : "no" ); } } In order to work without semicolons, Groovy's grammar must restrict some things that work in Java. Semicolon-less mode in Groovy has a price.
      - JoeAltmaier 14y ago
        Ok, I've always wondered about that '?' operator. What's the point? It was said (at the time) that C-like syntax meant a program was a series of expression, not statements. So something like (void)1; is valid syntax. Even compound expressions are valid: a=5, b=6; Where I feel abandoned (betrayed?) is this: why then aren't compound statements also expressions? E.g. { int x=Foo(50); Bar(x); } The value returned could just be the value of the final executed expression (Bar yields a value). No need for 'return' at all. And no need for '?'. int x = { if (i > j) 5; else 6; }
        vorg 14y ago
        You're right about statements being expressions and returning the last executed expression. In fact, since using Clojure I've gotten used to these, e.g. (-> (Foo 50) (Bar)) (def x (if (> i j) 5 6)) I do miss the static typing and more readable syntax, though, and have appreciated Haskell in this regard. Too bad things like powerful macros and convenient syntax don't seem to gel together well in the same language.
      - mbell 14y ago
        That compiles just fine in groovy as well, the parathesis of the println call delimit the statement. Same is true for other delimiters: reportData = orders.collectMany {it.items} .groupBy {it.product} .collect { key,value -> [product: key, vendor: key.vendor, cases: value.sum() {it.actualQty}, productCharge: value.sum() {it.totalProductCharge}, platformCharge: value.sum() {it.portalCharge}, shippingCharge: value.sum() {it.shippingCharge}, dueProducer: value.sum() {it.totalDueProducer()}]} Is perfectly valid groovy, spread on multiple lines with no semicolons. You seem to be making this out like its some huge inconvenience. It is very rarely an issue and its not like there are 5000 things you can't do. Its really just line breaks in statements that aren't delimited any other way that are effected and all you have to do it put the operator on the line prior to the break...
rdtsc 14y ago
I program in Python (no semicolons) and I also frequently split long statements over multiple lines. One doesn't need an explicit statement terminator to do it. You can do it inside parentheses for ex.

anonymoushn 14y ago

You can do this without an explicit statement terminator. In Scala, you can write something like this and just have it work. foo.bar(arg, objectToComputeArg2.computeArg(innerArg1, innerArg2, innerArg3), arg3) You can do the same in Python or in Lua. Lua will yell at you when it's actually ambiguous, as in function_returning_a_function(arg)(arg_to_returned_function) (it_is_not_clear_whether_this_is_a_call_to_the_value_returned_by_the_previous_line()) You can disambiguate this with parentheses or using a semicolon, though. There's never actually a need to use a semicolon.

jerf 14y ago

Having an explicit terminator makes it maximally flexible, but certainly not "possible". Python does it just fine, but the rules, while mostly sensible, do have a couple of corner cases that can catch you. Javascript does it somewhat less fine, with quite a few more corner cases, including a couple that definitely routinely hit people. But in both cases, it can be done. Nor are those the only two examples.

mbell 14y ago

I do this all the time in Groovy and don't use semicolons...

vorg 14y ago
> I do this all the time in Groovy and don't use semicolons Groovy's semicolon-less mode has lots of syntax restrictions. E.g.this doesn't compile... println true ? "yes" : "no"
- mbell 14y ago
  > Groovy's semicolon-less mode has lots of syntax restrictions. E.g.this doesn't compile... I would't say 'lots'. It pretty much boils down to one thing: 'leave the operator on the previous line' println true ? "yes" : "no" For example is just fine.
  - vorg 14y ago
    This compiles and runs OK in Java... class Hello{ public static void main(String[] args){ System.out.println( true ? "yes" : "no" ); } } In order to work without semicolons, Groovy's grammar must restrict some things that work in Java. Semicolon-less mode in Groovy has a price.
    - JoeAltmaier 14y ago
      Ok, I've always wondered about that '?' operator. What's the point? It was said (at the time) that C-like syntax meant a program was a series of expression, not statements. So something like (void)1; is valid syntax. Even compound expressions are valid: a=5, b=6; Where I feel abandoned (betrayed?) is this: why then aren't compound statements also expressions? E.g. { int x=Foo(50); Bar(x); } The value returned could just be the value of the final executed expression (Bar yields a value). No need for 'return' at all. And no need for '?'. int x = { if (i > j) 5; else 6; }
      - vorg 14y ago
        You're right about statements being expressions and returning the last executed expression. In fact, since using Clojure I've gotten used to these, e.g. (-> (Foo 50) (Bar)) (def x (if (> i j) 5 6)) I do miss the static typing and more readable syntax, though, and have appreciated Haskell in this regard. Too bad things like powerful macros and convenient syntax don't seem to gel together well in the same language.
    - mbell 14y ago
      That compiles just fine in groovy as well, the parathesis of the println call delimit the statement. Same is true for other delimiters: reportData = orders.collectMany {it.items} .groupBy {it.product} .collect { key,value -> [product: key, vendor: key.vendor, cases: value.sum() {it.actualQty}, productCharge: value.sum() {it.totalProductCharge}, platformCharge: value.sum() {it.portalCharge}, shippingCharge: value.sum() {it.shippingCharge}, dueProducer: value.sum() {it.totalDueProducer()}]} Is perfectly valid groovy, spread on multiple lines with no semicolons. You seem to be making this out like its some huge inconvenience. It is very rarely an issue and its not like there are 5000 things you can't do. Its really just line breaks in statements that aren't delimited any other way that are effected and all you have to do it put the operator on the line prior to the break...

rdtsc 14y ago

I program in Python (no semicolons) and I also frequently split long statements over multiple lines. One doesn't need an explicit statement terminator to do it. You can do it inside parentheses for ex.