in reply to The Case for Macros in Perl

FWIW: I agree that the addition of true macro capability to perl would be extremely useful. Perhaps one of the top two most beneficial changes that could be made. Unfortunately, I don't think it will ever happen.

Not because it's not a good idea; but because it would be impossible to do it efficiently as a third-party add-on (CPAN package) and very,very difficult (if not impossible) to implement it within the parser itself. Even if you could align all the skills and opinions required to make it happen.

With the rise and rise of 'Social' network sites: 'Computers are making people easier to use everyday'
Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^2: The Case for Macros in Perl
by salva (Canon) on Sep 16, 2014 at 09:44 UTC
    Well, I did it once: Adding macros to Perl5.

    Admittedly it was mostly a prove of concept but it shows that technically it is doable... a different matter would be getting p5p to agree on adding the feature and on the macro syntax.

[reply]
      getting p5p to agree on [anything]

      Obtaining positive opinions are always going to be harder than the skills; though you're in a class of very few in the latter regard.

      Shame it never made it in. That looks very well thought through. Applying an attribute to a subroutine is a) something I'd never thought of; b) (IMO) the perfect way to add it to the syntax,

      With the rise and rise of 'Social' network sites: 'Computers are making people easier to use everyday'
      Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
      "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
      In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
[reply]
        the perfect way to add it to the syntax

        But the issue with macros is not how to indicate the interpreter you are declaring one but how to tell the interpreter the kind of arguments you are expecting.

        In Lisp (and family) you don't have this problem because the language doesn't have a grammar but on Perl, in order to parse something, you need to know where you are.

        The macros in my patch only accept one kind of arguments (expressions) ruling out several interesting usages. For instance, extending the syntax as in try {...} catch {...}.

[reply]
[d/l]

In Section Meditations