Re: rename typeinfo

[Jaroslav Hajek]

On Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 10:48 AM, David Grundberg <address@hidden> wrote:
> Jaroslav Hajek skrev:
>> On Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 9:47 AM, David Grundberg <address@hidden> wrote:
>>> Hello maintainers,
>>>
>>> I've read at least 3 messages on octave-help confusing 'typeinfo' and
>>> 'class'.  I've helped these people, but I'm afraid there are others
>>> incorrectly using typeinfo where they ought to use class.  The
>>> documentation could be improved for typeinfo, but I think renaming it to
>>> something else would be even better.  I suggest that we put a underscore
>>> or something to it.  Like __typeinfo__.
>>>
>>> Grundberg
>>>
>>
>> I believe the one and only reason why some users become confused is
>> that typeinfo is the first function mentioned in the "data types"
>> section of the manual and it says "returns the type of expression". It
>> should be stressed that this is Octave's internal type, not to be
>> confused with class. Maybe it needs not be in the manual at all?
>>
>
> I can only speak out of my own experience, and I know that I found
> typeinfo not by the manual, but guessing 'type' and getting
> auto-completion at the prompt.  I still think the name should be changed.
>

Yeah, but what gave you the impression you should use it? You typed
"help typeinfo", read that it returns the "type of the expression",
and concluded that this is what you want. If it said "*internal* type,
you likely want to use class for normal programming", you would follow
this advice.

I believe nobody uses functions he doesn't know before he reads what
they do, if someone does, he can't be helped anyway.

-- 
RNDr. Jaroslav Hajek, PhD
computing expert & GNU Octave developer
Aeronautical Research and Test Institute (VZLU)
Prague, Czech Republic
url: www.highegg.matfyz.cz