Re: ? assignments are not expressions ?

["Michael T. Richter" <mtr@...>]

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>> Making assignment not be usable inside an expression eliminates a fairly
>> common source of irritating (and sometimes devastating) error at the
>> expense of adding a single extra line of code in most circumstances
>> where it would be used.  I think this is a fair trade-off myself, and I
>> would beg that Lua's creators not turn assignment into an expression.

> I don't really agree. You just have to use some self-discipline. 

And when you maintain the code of someone who doesn't have that
self-discipline....

> But you can't deny that 

>  while ( X = read() )
>  do
>   print ( X )
>  end

> is by far nicer and CLEARER than

>  X = read()
>  while X
>  do
>   print ( X )
>   X = read()
>  end

I certainly can and do deny that claim.  Burying an assignment inside the
test of a loop construct is just plain evil.

- --
Michael T. Richter
"Be seeing you."

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