libs/phoenix/doc/modules/scope.qbk

[/==============================================================================
    Copyright (C) 2001-2010 Joel de Guzman
    Copyright (C) 2001-2005 Dan Marsden
    Copyright (C) 2001-2010 Thomas Heller

    Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
    file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
===============================================================================/]

[section Scope]

Up until now, the most basic ingredient is missing: creation of and access to
local variables in the stack. When recursion comes into play, you will soon
realize the need to have true local variables. It may seem that we do not need
this at all since an unnamed lambda function cannot call itself anyway; at least
not directly. With some sort of arrangement, situations will arise where a
lambda function becomes recursive. A typical situation occurs when we store a
lambda function in a [@http://www.boost.org/libs/function Boost.Function],
essentially naming the unnamed lambda.

There will also be situations where a lambda function gets passed as an argument
to another function. This is a more common situation. In this case, the lambda
function assumes a new scope; new arguments and possibly new local variables.

This section deals with local variables and nested lambda scopes.

[section Local Variables]

    #include <boost/phoenix/scope/local_variable.hpp>

We use an instance of:

    expression::local_variable<Key>::type

to represent a local variable. The local variable acts as an imaginary data-bin
where a local, stack based data will be placed. `Key` is an arbitrary type that
is used to identify the local variable. Example:

    struct size_key;
    expression::local_variable<size_key>::type size;

[*Predefined Local Variables]

There are a few predefined instances of `expression::local_variable<Key>::type`
named `_a`..`_z` that you can already use. To make use of them, simply use the
`namespace boost::phoenix::local_names`:

    using namespace boost::phoenix::local_names;

[endsect]
[section let]

    #include <boost/phoenix/scope/let.hpp>

You declare local variables using the syntax:

    let(local-declarations)
    [
        let-body
    ]

`let` allows 1..N local variable declarations (where N ==
`BOOST_PHOENIX_LOCAL_LIMIT`). Each declaration follows the form:

    local-id = lambda-expression

[note You can set `BOOST_PHOENIX_LOCAL_LIMIT`, the predefined maximum local
variable declarations in a let expression. By default, `BOOST_PHOENIX_LOCAL_LIMIT` is
set to `BOOST_PHOENIX_LIMIT`.]

Example:

    let(_a = 123, _b = 456)
    [
        _a + _b
    ]

[*Reference Preservation]

The type of the local variable assumes the type of the lambda- expression. Type
deduction is reference preserving. For example:

    let(_a = arg1, _b = 456)

`_a` assumes the type of `arg1`: a reference to an argument, while `_b` has type
`int`.

Consider this:

    int i = 1;

    let(_a = arg1)
    [
        cout << --_a << ' '
    ]
    (i);

    cout << i << endl;

the output of above is : 0 0

While with this:

    int i = 1;

    let(_a = val(arg1))
    [
        cout << --_a << ' '
    ]
    (i);

    cout << i << endl;

the output is : 0 1

Reference preservation is necessary because we need to have L-value access to
outer lambda-scopes (especially the arguments). `arg`s and `ref`s are L-values.
`val`s are R-values.

[*Visibility]
[#phoenix.modules.scope.let.visibility]

The scope and lifetimes of the local variables is limited within the let-body.
`let` blocks can be nested. A local variable may hide an outer local variable.
For example:

    let(_x = 1, _y = ", World")
    [
        // _x here is an int: 1

        let(_x = "Hello") // hides the outer _x
        [
            cout << _x << _y // prints "Hello, World"
        ]
    ]

The RHS (right hand side lambda-expression) of each local-declaration cannot
refer to any LHS local-id. At this point, the local-ids are not in scope yet;
they will only be in scope in the let-body. The code below is in error:

    let(
        _a = 1
      , _b = _a // Error: _a is not in scope yet
    )
    [
        // _a and _b's scope starts here
        /*. body .*/
    ]

However, if an outer let scope is available, this will be searched. Since
the scope of the RHS of a local-declaration is the outer scope enclosing
the let, the RHS of a local-declaration can refer to a local variable of
an outer scope:

    let(_a = 1)
    [
        let(
            _a = 1
          , _b = _a // Ok. _a refers to the outer _a
        )
        [
            /*. body .*/
        ]
    ]

[endsect]
[section lambda]

    #include <boost/phoenix/scope/lambda.hpp>

A lot of times, you'd want to write a lazy function that accepts one or more
functions (higher order functions). STL algorithms come to mind, for example.
Consider a lazy version of `stl::for_each`:

    struct for_each_impl
    {
        template <typename C, typename F>
        struct result
        {
            typedef void type;
        };

        template <typename C, typename F>
        void operator()(C& c, F f) const
        {
            std::for_each(c.begin(), c.end(), f);
        }
    };

    function<for_each_impl> const for_each = for_each_impl();

Notice that the function accepts another function, `f` as an argument. The scope
of this function, `f`, is limited within the `operator()`. When `f` is called
inside `std::for_each`, it exists in a new scope, along with new arguments and,
possibly, local variables. This new scope is not at all related to the outer
scopes beyond the `operator()`.

Simple syntax:

    lambda
    [
        lambda-body
    ]

Like `let`, local variables may be declared, allowing 1..N local variable
declarations (where N == `BOOST_PHOENIX_LOCAL_LIMIT`):

    lambda(local-declarations)
    [
        lambda-body
    ]

The same restrictions apply with regard to scope and visibility. The RHS
(right hand side lambda-expression) of each local-declaration cannot refer
to any LHS local-id. The local-ids are not in scope yet; they will be in
scope only in the lambda-body:

    lambda(
        _a = 1
      , _b = _a // Error: _a is not in scope yet
    )

See [link phoenix.modules.scope.let.visibility `let` Visibility] for more information.

Example: Using our lazy `for_each` let's print all the elements in a container:

    for_each(arg1, lambda[cout << arg1])

As far as the arguments are concerned (arg1..argN), the scope in which the
lambda-body exists is totally new. The left `arg1` refers to the argument passed
to `for_each` (a container). The right `arg1` refers to the argument passed by
`std::for_each` when we finally get to call `operator()` in our `for_each_impl`
above (a container element).

Yet, we may wish to get information from outer scopes. While we do not have
access to arguments in outer scopes, what we still have is access to local
variables from outer scopes. We may only be able to pass argument related
information from outer `lambda` scopes through the local variables.

[note This is a crucial difference between `let` and `lambda`: `let`
does not introduce new arguments; `lambda` does.]

Another example: Using our lazy `for_each`, and a lazy `push_back`:

    struct push_back_impl
    {
        template <typename C, typename T>
        struct result
        {
            typedef void type;
        };

        template <typename C, typename T>
        void operator()(C& c, T& x) const
        {
            c.push_back(x);
        }
    };

    function<push_back_impl> const push_back = push_back_impl();

write a lambda expression that accepts:

# a 2-dimensional container (e.g. `vector<vector<int> >`)
# a container element (e.g. `int`)

and pushes-back the element to each of the `vector<int>`.

Solution:

    for_each(arg1,
        lambda(_a = arg2)
        [
            push_back(arg1, _a)
        ]
    )

Since we do not have access to the arguments of the outer scopes beyond the
lambda-body, we introduce a local variable `_a` that captures the second outer
argument: `arg2`. Hence: _a = arg2. This local variable is visible inside the
lambda scope.

(See [@../../example/lambda.cpp lambda.cpp])

[endsect]

[endsect]