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From: cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: New VSI post on Youtube
Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2024 11:07:15 -0000 (UTC)
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and UNIX, NYC
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In article <va26po$3d9f0$1@dont-email.me>,
Arne Vajhøj  <arne@vajhoej.dk> wrote:
>On 8/20/2024 8:36 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>> On 2024-08-20, chrisq <devzero@nospam.com> wrote:
>>> I guess another complication is that some functions return
>>> -1, which implies a signed variable. To fix all that would require a
>>> complete rewrite of the library and probably most of the os and
>>> applications as well, so it will never happen. Just have to write
>>> unsigned equivalents, or slip functions with casts, but it's a lot
>>> of additional work.
>> 
>> One thing I wish was available in all languages is the ability to return
>> multiple values from a function call so you can return both a status and
>> the value(s) in one assignment. Ie: "a, b, c = demo_function(param1, param2);".
>> 
>> In languages with dynamic associative arrays (such as PHP), I simulate
>> this by returning an associative array from a function call with both
>> status and value fields. Makes coding _so_ much cleaner and robust.
>
>Few languages support multiple return values.

Nonsense.  _Many_ languages do; just not ones that you are
familiar with.

>And a few other languages support tuples with named fields
>or anonymous classes with named properties, which is almost as good.

See above.

>And almost all newer high level languages support 
>map/dictionary/associative array.

What does this even mean?  Many of these things have been
supported by high(er)-level languages for decades.  Perhaps
you mean as a first-class object in the language, and not
simply via a library?

	- Dan C.