Keywords: pame

Subsections

- Exercises

# Assignments in formulæ

Since an assignment yields a name, it can be used in a formula. However, the assignment must be converted into an enclosed clause (using parentheses or `BEGIN` and `END`) ensuring that the assignment is elaborated first. For example, in

       3*(a:=c+4)+2

if `c` refers to `3`, the value of the formula will be `23` with mode `INT`, `a` will refer to `7`, the value of the assignment is a name of mode `REF INT` and `c` will still refer to `3`. Remember that assignment is not an operator.

Here is an example of two assignments in a conditional clause:

       IF a<2 THEN x:=3.2 ELSE x:=-5.0 FI

This can be written with greater efficiency as

       x:=IF a < 2 THEN 3.2 ELSE -5.0 FI

The left-hand side of an assignment has a soft context. In a soft context, dereferencing is not allowed (it is the only context in which dereferencing is not allowed). In the following phrase, the conditional clause on the left yields a name which is then assigned the value of the right-hand side:

       IF a < 2 THEN x ELSE y FI := 3.5

In the next assignment, a conditional clause appears on both sides of the assignment:

       (a<2|x|y):=(b<2|x|y)

The result depends on the values referred to by both `a` and `b` as much as on the values referred to by both `x` and `y`.

## Exercises

5.4
  What is wrong with the following program fragment?

         REF REAL x = LOC REAL,
                  y = LOC REAL:=3.5;
         y:=4.2+x

  Ans
5.5
  If `x` refers to `3.5` and `y` refers to `-2.5`, what is the mode and value yielded by the following phrases: Ans
  (a)
    `x:=-y`

  (b)
    `ABS y`

5.6
  What does `x` refer to after

         x:=1.5;  x PLUSAB 2.0 DIVAB 3.0

  (try it in a small program). Ans