Repair Wording of 6.5.72

Proposal Details

• Who Updates:TristanGingol, DavidKoontz
• Date Proposed:2014-11-20
• Date Last Updated:
• Priority:
• Complexity:Tiny
• Focus:

Current Situation

In IEEE Std 1076-2008 (the LRM), the followiing references to delimiters as symbols occur:

... in the form that includes the box (<>) symbol ...

But 'symbol' is not the appropriate word. According to chapter 15 (Lexical elements), the right word is 'delimiter'.

I was told that 'symbol' word was used at other places, without being defined:

Also in 5.3.2.1 "The symbol <> (called a box)"

6.4.2.2 "if the assignment symbol ":=" " (two places)

6.4.2.3 "If the signal declaration includes the assignment symbol followed by an expression,"

6.4.2.4 "If the variable declaration includes the assignment symbol followed by an expression,"

6.5.2 "If an interface declaration contains a “:=” symbol"

6.5.5 "in the form that includes the box (<>) symbol,"

6.5.5 "an interface subprogram default in the form of a box (<>) symbol"

6.5.6.2 "If the interface subprogram default is in the form of a box (<>) symbol,"

6.5.7.2 "form that includes the box (<>) symbol,"

14.3.3.5 "in the form that includes the box (<>) symbol"

Annex A:
box: (A, B, C) "The symbol <>" (three places)

Both Box and the variable assignment delimiters are not operator symbols and may not be overloaded.

Requirement

Change these references from symbol to delimiter. Consistently quote delimiters, either within parentheses or within double quotes.

Implementation details

Code Examples

Use Cases

Arguments FOR

Arguments AGAINST

General Comments

-- DavidKoontz - 2014-11-24

"So maybe the LRM shall define symbol as a synonymous of delimiter."

Or adhere to the language definition and use delimiter in place of symbol when refererencing delimiters. I supplied the additional information to Tristan, and 1.3.2 symbol "::=" was in error, "::=" is not a VHDL lexical delimiter. (Sorry Tristan, that's what I get working on a small laptop late at night, I updated and corrected the list above).

Note that there are also operator_symbol syntax elements (see which are string literals and not to be confused with the delimiters ":=" or "<>", which are not designators for functions, rather they are lexical elements specified in 15.3, and are also compound delimiters. (Note 15.2 Character set does not define any multi-character symbols).

Consistent quotation of other compound delimiters has not been verfied.

Supporters

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