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I'm currently developing a new language for programming in a continuous environment (compare it to electrical engineering), and I've got some ideas on a certain language construction.
Let me explain the feature by explanation and then by definition:
x = a U b;
Where x is a variable and a and b are other variables (or static values). This works like a union between a and b; no duplicates and no specific order.
with(x) {
// regular 'with' usage; using the global interpretation of "x"
x = 5;
// effectively will do:
// x = a U b U 5;
// a = 5;
// b = 5;
// Thus, when "a" or "b" changes, "x" is still equal to "5".
}
with(x = a) {
// this code block is executed when the "x" variable
// has the "a" variable assigned. All references in
// this code-block to "x" are references to "a". So saying:
x = 5;
// would only change the variable "a". If the variable "a"
// later on changes, x still equals to 5, in this fashion:
// 'x = a U b U 5;'
// '[currentscope] = 5;'
// thus, 'a = 5;'
}
with(x = b) {
// same but with "b"
}
with(x != a) {
// here the "x" variable refers to any variable
// but "a"; thus saying
x = 5;
// is equal to the rewriting of
// 'x = a U b U 5;'
// 'b = 5;' (since it was the scope of this block)
}
with(x = (a U b)) {
// guaranteed that "x" is 'a U b'; interacting with "x"
// will interact with both "a" and "b".
x = 5;
// makes both "a" and "b" equal to 5; also the "x" variable
// is updated to contain:
// 'x = a U b U 5;'
// '[currentscope] = 5;'
// 'a U b = 5;'
// and thus: 'a = 5; b = 5;'.
}
// etc.
In the above, all code-blocks are executed, but the "scope" changes in each block how x is interpreted. In the first block, x is guaranteed to be a: thus i