[swift-evolution] [Proposal Draft] Literal Syntax Protocols

[David Sweeris]

Types where it makes sense, or types for which such semantics would be a good idea? Because, for example, you could do something like this:
struct HTMLParser : IntegerLiteralConvertible {
    init(integerLiteral value: IntegerLiteralType) {
        htmlMajorVersion = value
        htmlMinorVersion = 0
    }
}

Back in the realm of math, I don’t think Sedenions — a 16-demensional (in the sense that complex numbers are 2-dimensional) number  — have a well-defined division operator.

As a more likely example, I don’t think it’d be too much of a stretch to attach integer literal semantics to matrices:
let x: Matrix = 1 // Sets diagonal to 1
Matrices don’t have a division operator, and you can’t do any of the `Arithmetic` functions to two matrices without first checking their dimensions. Plus, inherently-dimensioned matrix types:
var x = Matrix<_2,_3>() // "_2" and "_3" are dummy types
can’t implement `*`, unless their two dimensions happen to be equal — "Matrix<2,3>() * Matrix<2,3>()” doesn’t have a valid definition.

- Dave Sweeris

> On Jun 29, 2016, at 7:49 AM, Steve Canon via swift-evolution <swift-evolution at swift.org> wrote:
> 
> Semi-serious question for integer literals in particular: do we need a separate protocol at all?  Are there types we want to support where integer literals should be supported, but + doesn't make sense?  Where 1+1 actually isn't 2?
> 
> If not, are integer literals really just part of Arithmetic?
> 
> - Steve

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