Re: SDL-News: Algorithmics


Subject: Re: SDL-News: Algorithmics
dagbjorn#telox.no
Date: Fri Mar 13 1998 - 13:17:51 GMT


The originator of this message is responsible for its content.
-----From dagbjorn#telox.no to sdlnews -----

Dear SDL community,

I would like to make a comment on the suggested loop syntax from
Philippe Leblanc.

> - FOR (dcl integer i:=0, sum:=0; i=max; sum:=sum+Tab[i], i:=i+1)...
>
> - FOR (dcl integer i:=0, dcl integer j:=0;
> (i=maxA) AND (j=maxB);
> i:=i+1, j:=j+1)...

Isn't there something wrong about the <loop variable indication>s?
In SDL the order of the type and the variable is opposite compared to
C. The two examples above should then look like:

 - FOR (dcl i integer:=0, sum:=0; i=max; sum:=sum+Tab[i], i:=i+1)...
 
 - FOR (dcl i integer:=0, dcl j integer:=0;
        (i=maxA) AND (j=maxB);
        i:=i+1, j:=j+1)...

According to the SDL syntax the second example could be simplifyed
as follows:

 - FOR (dcl i,j integer:=0;
        (i=maxA) AND (j=maxB);
        i:=i+1, j:=j+1)...

Apart from this syntactical error I agree with Philippe Leblanc
and his experts view about the proposed "for" loop syntax.

Dagbjoern Nogva
Telox AS

> From leblanc#tlse.verilog.fr Mon Mar 9 17:12:25 1998
>
> The originator of this message is responsible for its content.
> -----From Philippe Leblanc <leblanc#tlse.verilog.fr> to sdlnews -----
>
> Dear SDL users,
>
> As you should know, SG10-Q6 (in charge of SDL) is working
> on the introduction of algorithmics in SDL.
> The principles are to allow an SDL designer to specify
> SDL actions and procedures in a textual way. A "for"
> construct has been added to allow loops in transitions.
> This proposal has already been presented by Thomas Weigert,
> the coordinator for this item, on this mailing list.
>
> After a quick survey of our customers base, we have identified
> two issues. I discuss them here to have your feedbacks as
> SDL users.
>
> 1) Syntax for the loop construct
> The syntax currently proposed differs from the C syntax.
> Our feedback from SDL users is this is confusing, and they
> would prefer using the C syntax.
> A detailed comment of one of our experts is joined at the
> bottom of the message.
>
>
> 2) Graphical loops
> Another feedback we had is: "I use SDL because SDL is a
> graphic modeling technique, and includes a complete
> action language to describe transitions. This is not the
> case with UML statecharts. With your proposal, I will be
> able to express loop constructs in a clean way -- so
> without joins and labels -- but this will not be possible
> in a graphic way, which is the major advantage of SDL
> compared to UML. So it is not satisfactory."
> What is your opinion about this concern?
>
>
> We will appreciate to have your position regarding these
> two concerns.
> The annual Geneva meeting takes place end of March.
> This will be great to have a lot of answers in order to
> take the appropriate decisions wrt the introduction of
> algorithmic forms in SDL.
>
>
> Philippe Leblanc
>
> --
> Tel.: +33 (0)5 61 19 29 33
> Switchboard: +33 (0)5 61 19 29 39
> Fax: +33 (0)5 61 40 84 52
> Email: leblanc#verilog.fr
> VERILOG S.A.
> BP 1310
> F-31106 Toulouse Cedex - France
> http://www.verilogusa.com
>
> ============================================
>
> Detailed comment about the for loop syntax
> ------------------------------------------
>
> Compared to the "C for" we think that the <finalization statement>
> extension and the introduction of local dcls are good things.
> But then we think that having a list of triples <loop variable indication>,
> <limit expression> and <step expression> gives minor advantages, and major
> drawbacks.
>
> The advantages we saw are:
> - the separation of the role of the variables used in the loop.
> - the simplification of the step expression.
> Example:
> FOR (dcl integer i:=0, i=max, i+1;
> sum:=0, , sum+Tab[i]) ...
>
> The drawbacks we feel are:
> - the non usual use of commas and semicolon (for C programmers).
> Z100 already authorises lists of statements separated with commas
> in <task body> (Z100 &2.7.1). We could use this existing syntax to
> make the SDL for loop looking like the C++ for loop.
> - the implicit OR between the <limit expression>s.
> If you want to specify a AND between conditions on different loop
> variables for example, you have to pack the conditions in the
> <limit expression> of one of the triples, leaving all the other
> <limit expression>s empty.
> Exemple:
> FOR (dcl integer i:=0, (i=maxA) AND (j=maxB), i+1;
> dcl integer j:=0, , j+1) ...
> - the implicit assignation of the <loop variable indication> to
> the <step expression> makes difficult the write of loops where the
> step is not an assignation.
> Exemple: a C program may contain a for loop like:
> for (init_work(); still_work(); look_for_work())...
> There isn't any loop variables (the procedures init_work()
> resp. end_work() may initializes, resp. tests several variables),
> so you can't use <step expression> in the proposed "SDL for".
>
> More generally we think that if the only loop construct is the "for"
> statement (no "while" statement), it should be the more general possible,
> ie. without any implicit operation. We think that the "C for" (or "C++ for"
> as it allows local declarations) reaches this claim.
> The two SDL examples above may be written in a C++ like syntax:
>
> - FOR (dcl integer i:=0, sum:=0; i=max; sum:=sum+Tab[i], i:=i+1)...
>
> - FOR (dcl integer i:=0, dcl integer j:=0;
> (i=maxA) AND (j=maxB);
> i:=i+1, j:=j+1)...
>
>
>
>
> -----End text from Philippe Leblanc <leblanc#tlse.verilog.fr> to sdlnews -----
> For help, email "majordomo#sdl-forum.org" with the body of your email as:
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>
>

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