[Maxima-bugs] [ maxima-Bugs-917283 ] Comment syntax confused

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Bugs item #917283, was opened at 2004-03-16 06:04
Message generated for change (Comment added) made by robert_dodier
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>Category: Lisp Core
Group: None
Status: Open
Resolution: None
Priority: 2
Private: No
Submitted By: Stavros Macrakis (macrakis)
Assigned to: Nobody/Anonymous (nobody)
>Summary: Comment syntax confused

Initial Comment:
The comment syntax /* ... */ is used in many places in 
the documentation, but nowhere explicitly described.

The sequence /*/ seems to parse as a comment:

(C23) a/*/+b;
(D23)    b + a

I think that is a bug.  Two *'s should be required.

Peculiarly, it can be redefined as an infix operator:

(C24) infix("/*/")$
(C29) a/*/+b;
(D29)    a /*/ b

It is even possible to redefine "/*" as an infix operator!

(C31) infix("/*");
(D31)    "/*"
(C32) a /* b;
(D32)    a /* b

This doesn't seem like a good idea....

        -s


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>Comment By: Robert Dodier (robert_dodier)
Date: 2008-01-06 23:11

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Comment syntax is now described in ref manual.

? comments

shows the text. Adjusting title of this item accordingly (striking out
"undocumented"). Changing category to "Lisp core" since remaining issues
are related to parser. (I still don't consider the "/*" redefinition stuff
a bug.)

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Comment By: Stavros Macrakis (macrakis)
Date: 2005-09-28 07:30

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> I'm inclined to allow /*/, /*, and /* ... */ as operators.
I like Maxima's laissez faire attitude.

The problem with that is that different people's files
become incompatible....  I suppose I could go along with
this if there were a warning, e.g.:

      infix("/*")$

     WARNING: You are redefining part of Maxima's built-in
syntax.  This may cause compatibility problems with parts of
Maxima written in the Maxima language.




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Comment By: Robert Dodier (robert_dodier)
Date: 2005-09-27 21:36

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In fact Maxima lets me do this ...

  matchfix ("/*", "*/");

  /* 1, 2, 3, 4 */;

  :lisp $%  => (($/* SIMP) 1 2 3 4)

I agree that /*/ should not parse as a comment, but I'm
inclined to allow /*/, /*, and /* ... */ as operators. I
like Maxima's laissez faire attitude.

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