"Data blocks" syntax specification draft

[bartc]

On 20/05/2018 03:58, Mikhail V wrote:
> I have made up a printable PDF with the current version
> of the syntax suggestion.
> 
> https://github.com/Mikhail22/Documents/blob/master/data-blocks-v01.pdf
> 
> After some of your comments I've made some further
> re-considerations, e.g. element separation should
> be now much simpler.
> A lot of examples with comparison included.
> 
> 
> Comments, suggestions are welcome.

This is intended to be used inside actual Python programs?

In that case code is normally displayed in fixed pitch, as it would 
normally be viewed in a code editor, even if part of a document.

But I have to say it looks pretty terrible, and I can't see that it buys 
much over normal syntax.

The use of the funny /// symbol, and reserving identifiers t, L and d 
when following ///, is also a little naff.

(Note that lines starting // are interpreted as comment lines in C and 
C++ languages, and may be used by others too. Those used to see those as 
comments may get confused.)

It's not clear what ///. is for, or why it's necessary (presumably you 
have to use ///. /// instead of /// ///).

The ///d dictionary example is ambiguous: can you have more than one 
key:value per line or not? If so, it would look like this:

   ///d "a "b "c" "d" "e" "f"

so that the pairing is not clear.

You also seem to have more need of the "\" line continuation character 
in your syntax, because Python can do this:

    data = {

but you need:

    date = \
    ///

Or do you also allow: date = ///  with data following on the next line?


-- 
bartc