[swift-evolution] [swift-evolution-announce] [Accepted and Focused Re-review] SE-0187: Introduce Sequence.filterMap(_:)

[Jonathan Hull]

I agree that filterMap is just as confusing and awkward as flatMap, if not more.  Filter works on Bools, not nils.  It is just asking for trouble/confusion, and I would hate to rename this again next year.  If the word ‘filter’ must be used, then I recommend using ‘filteringMap()’ to lessen confusion with the filter method.

I like the idea of introducing compacted() and compactedMap(), though it only works if we introduce compacted() at the same time (which I am ok with).  I keep expecting it to be a compact map in the topological sense, but I doubt that is a problem most will have.


The only real way to get forward transfer here (besides leaving it alone) is to do one of the following:

	• Use a name used by another language (that doesn’t conflict with Swift)

	• Introduce a concept of removing nils in Swift and call it the same thing (e.g. compacted)

	• Have an awkward, long, and overly specific name like mapAndRemoveNils

I think it might make sense to just drop the quest for forward transfer, and instead look for a short, readable, and memorable name that makes sense in hindsight once you have seen it (e.g. dropMap?).  That, or introduce a word that means to remove nils.

Thanks,
Jon


> On Nov 20, 2017, at 9:22 AM, BJ Homer via swift-evolution <swift-evolution at swift.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>> On Nov 20, 2017, at 10:09 AM, Drew Crawford via swift-evolution <swift-evolution at swift.org <mailto:swift-evolution at swift.org>> wrote:
>> 
>> The typical case for this function in my code is the identity closure, that is
>> 
>>     let a: [Int?] = ...
>>     print(a.filterMap {$0})
>> 
>> filterMap is quite poor for this situation because *each* component in the term is inaccurate:
> 
> filterMap is indeed an awkward name for this use case, just like flatMap is. In my experience, about half of my use cases use the identity closure, and half actually make use of the closure in a meaningful way. I would support a proposal to add something like Sequence.dropNils (actual name to be determined), and then we could let this proposal target the non-identity-closure use case.
> 
> -BJ
> 
> _______________________________________________
> swift-evolution mailing list
> swift-evolution at swift.org
> https://lists.swift.org/mailman/listinfo/swift-evolution

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.swift.org/pipermail/swift-evolution/attachments/20171120/dd8176e0/attachment.html>