Re: [Webmacro-devel] Here's why I don't like the Map constructor stuff

[Keats <ke...@ea...>]

> (that's not the only option.)
>
> I think the [] notation works for everything but empty maps:
>
> #set $x = [ a => b, c => d ]
>
> or some other syntax ( [ (a, b) (c, d) ] )
>
> As for empty maps, how about
>   #set $x = $Map.newEmptyMap()
>
> or the like?  Does everything have to have a magic punctuation-based
syntax?
>

Actually empty maps are more useful than empty lists, so I'd make [] be an
empty map.  I don't think there are many use cases for declaring a new
Object[0] in a template.

I don't really mind the curly braces, but I'm open.

I kinda like the colons, but I'm not a stickler on this either.  I actually
prefer "=".  Eric complains that it's not an assignment, but it is like an
assignment.  I.e.,

#set $map = ["A"=1, "B"=2]

is the same as

#set $map = []
#set $map.A=1
#set $map.B=2

It also connotes equality, as in:

#if ($Map.A=1) ...

Keats