In using it in a named association array aggregate, its semantic are "and" --- e.g., some_1D_array := (1 | 3 | 7 => 5, others => 10) sets elements 1 and 3 and 7 to the value 5. In a case statement, its semantics are "or" --- e.g. when 1 | 3 | 7 => ... any of the values 1, 3, or 7 for the case expression will select the ... code for execution. Is there a single name for that symbol (the | ) that seems to have different semantics depending on context?

Matt Jaffe <matt.jaffe@gmail.com> writes:

> In using it in a named association array aggregate, its semantic are
> "and" --- e.g., some_1D_array := (1 | 3 | 7 => 5, others => 10) sets
> elements 1 and 3 and 7 to the value 5. In a case statement, its
> semantics are "or" --- e.g. when 1 | 3 | 7 => ... any of the values
> 1, 3, or 7 for the case expression will select the ... code for
> execution. Is there a single name for that symbol (the | ) that seems
> to have different semantics depending on context?

How about reading it like this (read with a fixed-width font):

a := ( 1 | 3 | 7 => 5, others => 10 )
if the index is one or three or seven then five else ten fi

Similar syntax appeared in Algol 68. | is frequently used for
"alternatives" -- it's just a question of what's being referred to.
Here, it's all the alternative indexes that map to a specific value.

--
Ben.

On 2022-03-25 20:04, Matt Jaffe wrote:
> In using it in a named association array aggregate, its semantic are "and" --- e.g., some_1D_array := (1 | 3 | 7 => 5, others => 10) sets elements 1 and 3 and 7 to the value 5. In a case statement, its semantics are "or" --- e.g. when 1 | 3 | 7 => ... any of the values 1, 3, or 7 for the case expression will select the ... code for execution. Is there a single name for that symbol (the | ) that seems to have different semantics depending on context?

ARM 2.1(15/3)
(http://www.ada-auth.org/standards/aarm12_w_tc1/html/AA-2-1.html#I1201) says its
name in Ada is "vertical line".

--
Jeff Carter
"Alms for an ex-leper!"
Monty Python's Life of Brian
75

On 25/03/2022 22:21, Jeffrey R.Carter wrote:
> On 2022-03-25 20:04, Matt Jaffe wrote:
>> In using it in a named association array aggregate, its semantic are
>> "and" --- e.g., some_1D_array := (1 | 3 | 7 => 5, others => 10) sets
>> elements 1 and 3 and 7 to the value 5.  In a case statement, its
>> semantics are "or" --- e.g. when 1 | 3 | 7 => ...  any of the values
>> 1, 3, or 7 for the case expression will select the ... code for
>> execution.  Is there a single name for that symbol (the |  ) that
>> seems to have different semantics depending on context?
>
> ARM 2.1(15/3)
> (http://www.ada-auth.org/standards/aarm12_w_tc1/html/AA-2-1.html#I1201)
> says its name in Ada is "vertical line".
>

Probably wrong, but for a Unix user since the last century, I call it 'pipe'

--
Chris

On 25/03/2022 23:24, Chris Townley wrote:

> Probably wrong, but for a Unix user since the last century, I call it
> 'pipe'

Or bar.

On 26/03/2022 00:58, Luke A. Guest wrote:
> On 25/03/2022 23:24, Chris Townley wrote:
>
>> Probably wrong, but for a Unix user since the last century, I call it
>> 'pipe'
>
> Or bar.
>

No that is for after work ;)

--
Chris

"Luke A. Guest" <laguest@archeia.com> writes:

> On 25/03/2022 23:24, Chris Townley wrote:
>
>> Probably wrong, but for a Unix user since the last century, I call
>> it 'pipe'
>
> Or bar.

Emacs ada-mode grammar calls it BAR.

--
-- Stephe

On Friday, March 25, 2022 at 4:24:49 PM UTC-7, Chris Townley wrote:
> On 25/03/2022 22:21, Jeffrey R.Carter wrote:
> > On 2022-03-25 20:04, Matt Jaffe wrote:
> >> In using it in a named association array aggregate, its semantic are
> >> "and" --- e.g., some_1D_array := (1 | 3 | 7 => 5, others => 10) sets
> >> elements 1 and 3 and 7 to the value 5. In a case statement, its
> >> semantics are "or" --- e.g. when 1 | 3 | 7 => ... any of the values
> >> 1, 3, or 7 for the case expression will select the ... code for
> >> execution. Is there a single name for that symbol (the | ) that
> >> seems to have different semantics depending on context?
> >
> > ARM 2.1(15/3)
> > (http://www.ada-auth.org/standards/aarm12_w_tc1/html/AA-2-1.html#I1201)
> > says its name in Ada is "vertical line".
> >
> Probably wrong, but for a Unix user since the last century, I call it 'pipe'
>
>
> --
> Chris

Well, non-judgmental type that I am, I'm not going to say you're "wrong", but pipe is the name and usage for that symbol when programming a Unix shell.. It's semantics in Ada are quite different, so I don't think calling it pipe quite fits. (So I guess I'm not a pipe-fitter either ;-)

On Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 5:39:07 PM UTC-7, Stephen Leake wrote:
> "Luke A. Guest" <lag...@archeia.com> writes:
>
> > On 25/03/2022 23:24, Chris Townley wrote:
> >
> >> Probably wrong, but for a Unix user since the last century, I call
> >> it 'pipe'
> >
> > Or bar.
> Emacs ada-mode grammar calls it BAR.
>
> --
> -- Stephe

"Bar" sounds like the best alternative so far; I think that's what I'll use when talking to my students.

Thanks.