ISSUE: Keywords and Variable Names are Redundant.

REVISION HISTORY:  2-21-94, William Lott (Gwydion)

RELATED ISSUES:
Keyword Parameter Types

CATEGORY: Addition

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:

When declaring a keyword parameter, currently one must explicitly state
both the keyword and the variable name for the parameter.  For example:

	method (#key fill: fill, size: size (0))
	  ...
	end;

This is redundant as most of the time the keyword and the variable name are
the same.  Several people have complained that this redundancy results in
less readable code, especially if Keyword Parameter Types passes.

PROPOSAL:

Allow just the variable name for shorthand when the keyword and the
variable name are the same.  Specifically, the grammar statement for
keyword-parameter would become:

    keyword-paramter:
	keyword-OPT symbol
	keyword-OPT symbol ( expression )

If the keyword is omitted, it is constructed from the symbol.  If
Keyword Parameter Types passes, the two grammar changes will have to
be merged in the obvious way.

RATIONALE:

This allows the normal case where the keyword and the variable name are the
same to be expressed more concisely and more readably.

EXAMPLES:

	method (#key fill, size (0))
	  ...
	end;

	method (#key start (0), end: the_end)
	  // Can't use end as the variable, because it is a reserved word.
	end;

COST TO IMPLEMENTORS:

Minor.  Requires a minor change to the grammar.

COST TO USERS:

There are now two syntaxes where there used to be one.

PERFORMANCE IMPACT:

None.

BENEFITS:

See rationale.

AESTHETICS:

Matter of opinion.

IMPLEMENTATION NOTES:

FUTURE FEATURES:

DISCUSSION:

VOTES: