[swift-evolution] [Pitch] #dup -- a duplication "macro"(?)

[David Sweeris]

> On Aug 2, 2017, at 21:39, Daryle Walker <darylew at mac.com> wrote:
> 
>>> On Aug 1, 2017, at 9:56 AM, Daryle Walker <darylew at mac.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> On Jul 31, 2017, at 10:38 PM, David Sweeris <davesweeris at mac.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> On Jul 31, 2017, at 7:23 PM, Daryle Walker via swift-evolution <swift-evolution at swift.org> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> The tuple will be a bunch of “T,” but the count mechanically added depends on compiler-visible number N. Well, since this is part of a proposal that already mutates the language, I thought why not add a primitive operation by fiat:
>>>> 
>>>> func tuple<T, N: Int>(from: [N; T]) -> ( #dup(N; T) )
>>>> 
>>>> where “#dup” dumps a comma-separated list repeating the right-side entity with a multiplicity of the left-side value. The left-side value has to be a compiler constant expression. I was going to have the right side be an arbitrary token sequence, but I think it’s better for now to limit it to either a type (or similar) or an expression. Obviously, the receiver has to compatible with whatever being dumped there.
>>> 
>>> We've been talking about adding Variadic Generic Parameters for a while, and I'm pretty sure that the functionality you're suggesting here would be a subset of that. We're just waiting for it to come into scope.
>> 
>> I don’t think this functionality is covered by variadic generic parameters.
> 
> After a few hours, I figured out what was bugging me. Variadic generic parameters, and the existing variadic function parameters, CONSUME arbitrarily long comma-separated lists. The #dup facility PRODUCES those kinds of lists. The features are duals, not the same. The features can synergize.

Ah, ok, I see what you're saying now... I hadn't considered that the as-yet-hypothetical VGP proposal wouldn't allow for both consuming and producing VGP lists.

- Dave Sweeris
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