Group:
natural language
Topic:
abbreviated input
Topic:
access by current position
Topic:
alias names
Topic:
default value
Topic:
environment variables
Topic:
macros
Topic:
names defined by context
Topic:
natural language as a system
Topic:
object-oriented objects
Topic:
objects without names
Topic:
selecting with a mouse
Topic:
self reference
Topic:
words in natural languages
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Summary
Access notation can be frequently abbreviated by pronoun reference to the current context. For instance Pascal has a 'with' statement for specifying a default object, and Mumps has a naked reference for sparse array access. Several languages have a current object, last inputted command, last result value, last test value, or a fixed accumulator for computations. Pronoun reference is used in current position accessing, giving access to next and previous components. Pronoun reference enhances program efficiency when the referenced component is already in a machine register or memory buffer. Pronoun reference may hurt program portability because of its dependence on a correct context. (cbb 5/80)
Pronoun reference (the current selection) is particular useful for user interfaces. It allows the user to change either the selection or the command. (cbb 12/92)
Subtopic: object as pronoun -- self 
| Quote: if a Smalltalk command takes one parameter, select the item and invoke the command; allows you to change selection or command [»teslL8_1981]
| | Quote: 'this C' refers to the current instance (object) of class C or a subclass [»dahlOJ_1967]
| | Quote: 'self' is a Smalltalk variable for referencing the receiver of the message; it can't be modified [»xlrg8_1981]
| | Quote: use 'this' in C++ to refer to the object that invoked a member function; primarily used for pointer manipulation [»stroB_1991]
| | QuoteRef: hallJC5_1974 ;;48 index into current object (CO) by /field name
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Subtopic: anaphora
| Quote: first state the normal case, then special cases; example of anaphora; pervasive in natural discourse [»lopeCV12_2003]
| | Quote: natural languages use a diversity of anaphoric relations (i.e., referential dependencies) [»lopeCV12_2003]
| | Quote: aspect-oriented programming provides temporal anaphora (i.e., referential dependencies)
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Subtopic: selection as pronoun
| Quote: most interactions with a system are related to recent events; pronoun reference by pointing to portions of these events [»teitW3_1977]
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Subtopic: value of last expression
| Quote: every function in HyperTalk sets 'it' implicitly; turns expressions into a sequence of statements [»myerBA_1992]
| | QuoteRef: sammJE_1969 ;;361 if a=b move x to y; otherwise if greater, move...is otherwise if a b
| | QuoteRef: coheS4_1974 ;;123 scratch pad storage, "answer" is value of last calculation
| | QuoteRef: mumps ;;uses naked reference (i.e. default all but last element) to force user into same disk block
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Subtopic: default context
| QuoteRef: wirtN7_1973 ;;30 WITH statements gives default record id so field reference by field name
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Subtopic: abbreviate parameters in definitions
| Quote: can use long, informative argument names in header files and short, convenient names in definitions; e.g., 'length_of_element_array' and 'n' [»stroB_1994]
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Subtopic: command history
| QuoteRef: clarIA_1978 ;;399 "The user may recall any logged command into the terminal input buffer so as to re-issue it without re-typing it in its entirety
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Subtopic: examples
| QuoteRef: cbb_1973 ;;4/19/74 some symbol to say reuse this expression without computing it
| | Quote: in Ada, a # following an identifier acts as a pronoun reference when used alone [»mengB3_1981]
| | QuoteRef: hehnEC7_1975 ;;21 increment by i <- #+1
| | QuoteRef: mullAP_1964 ;;451 'i' refers to last noun used
| | QuoteRef: seedH_1971 ;;69 "LR" last record indicator
| | QuoteRef: sammJE_1969 ;;459 if pred then the pred is assigned to P and can be reused
| Quote: in Ada, if {} occurs twice in the same statement, it means respectively with parallel substitutions
[»mengB3_1981]
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Related Topics
Group: natural language (16 topics, 539 quotes)
Topic: abbreviated input (10 items)
Topic: access by current position (7 items)
Topic: alias names (39 items)
Topic: default value (8 items)
Topic: environment variables (5 items)
Topic: macros (22 items)
Topic: names defined by context (36 items)
Topic: natural language as a system (43 items)
Topic: object-oriented objects (39 items)
Topic: objects without names (7 items)
Topic: selecting with a mouse (44 items)
Topic: self reference (27 items)
Topic: words in natural languages
(40 items)
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