Re: Better way to fill Storage_IO?

["Björn Lundin" <b.f.lundin@gmail.com>]

Den 2021-05-19 kl. 21:25, skrev J-P. Rosen:
> Le 19/05/2021 à 10:26, Björn Lundin a écrit :
>> Given the above I do prefer
>>
>>
>> Text_IO.Put_Line ("Next is " & Next_Location'Image);
>>
>> over
>>
>> Text_IO.Put_Line ("Next is " & 
>> Coded_Values.WCS_Next_Location_Type_Type'Image(Next_Location));
> 
> Interesting example. When I define a type that I want to be able to 
> print, I define also (in the same place) an instantiation of 
> Integer_IO/Enumeration_IO, and I would write:
>     Put ("Next is "); Put (Next_Location); New_Line;
> 
> 'Image was not intended for regular IO.
> 

If a function/procedure is public, users will use them.
And very likely in ways 'not intended',
So there should be a clear statement in the RM making it clear
that using 'Image is not for regular IO.

We use tons of it for writing to log files
This is why I want 'image for record types.
It would save me from writing To_String functions dumping record values 
into the log. I think it made it into 202x but I am not sure.

And reasoning 'when I define a type I want to print...' does
not really appeal to  me. I'd like the language to provide a way to
create a string version of my variables - basically any of them -
for log file use. When I define a type I am not always thinking if this 
may or may not will be logged in the future, by someone else.
This leads to all types must define a Image/To_String function.

Why? Whats the point? What is the gain?

For records with nested lists I can see challenges,
but for scalar values? Floats? Fixed?

Why not have an easy-to-use AND readable solution?


-- 
Björn