[swift-evolution] define backslash '\' as a operator-head in the swift grammar

Nicolas Fezans nicolas.fezans at gmail.com
Sun Feb 5 09:29:14 CST 2017


Dear all,

This is a rather simple proposal to add '\' (backslash character) as a
valid operator-head in the swift grammar.

One argument for it, is that there exist a backslash operator in the
MATLAB/Scilab/Octave languages. In this languages A\B solves the linear
system A*X = B for X (or the least square problem associated to it if the
system of equations is overdetermined). I am doing some numerical
computation in Swift and it would be nice to be able to declare the same
operator name for this functionality.

I might have missed some arguments for not adding them, but I seems to me
that until now the \ character is only used inside of string literals. If
that is the case, both uses should never generate a conflict or be
ambiguous, isn't it? (String literals keep their interpretation of \ and \
used otherwise within the swift code will be interpreted as an operator or
as the beginning of an operator)

I am curious to see what will be the feedback on this.

Nicolas
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