Re: Easier function declaration in tables for 5.2?

[Peter Cawley <lua@...>]

On Sun, Jan 31, 2010 at 6:14 PM, Norman Ramsey <nr@cs.tufts.edu> wrote:
>  > Is it possible that 5.2 could allow syntax like:
>  >
>  > table={
>  > function hello(self)
>  >   doStuff(self)
>  > end,
>  > hi=6
>  > }
>
> While this syntax might be slightly better than
>
>     table={
>     hello = function(self)
>       doStuff(self)
>     end,
>     hi=6
>     }
>
> I don't see it as *enough* better to be worth adding extra syntax.
The syntactic sugar "function x" => "x = function" is meaningful at
the statement context, and is currently done at the statement context.
The sugar is not meaningful at the expression context, and is
currently not done at the expression context.
The sugar is meaningful at the field context, but is currently not
done at the field context.

Thus I see the extension of the sugar as *enough* better because while
it does add a new syntax rule, it makes the overall syntax more
consistent.