[r2004-04-23 21:54:08 by beppe] Stressed the fact that ":" must be surrounded by blanks

Original author: beppe
Date: 2004-04-23 21:54:08+00:00

web/manual/expressions.xml

@@ -123,15 +123,25 @@ an alternative notation, which is lighter for several arguments
 
 </p>
 <sample><![CDATA[
-fun %%f%% (%%p1%% : %%t1%%, %%...%%, %%pn:tn%%) : %%s%% = %%e%%
+fun %%f%% (%%p1%% : %%t1%%, %%...%%, %%pn : tn%%) : %%s%% = %%e%%
 ]]></sample>
 <p>
-which is strictly equivalent to:
+(note the blank spaces around the colons which are mandatory when the
+pattern is a variable 
+<footnote>
+The reason why the blank spaces are mandatory with variables is that the XML
+recommendation allows colons to occur in variables ("names" in XML terminology:
+see section on <a href="namespaces.html">namespaces</a>), so the blanks disambiguate
+the variables. Actually only the blank on the right handside is necessary:
+CDuce accepts <code>fun %%f%% (%%x1%% :%%t1%%, %%...%%, %%xn :tn%%):%%s%% =
+%%e%%</code>, as well (see also <a
+href="tutorial_getting_started.html#bnote1">this paragraph</a> on
+<code>let</code> declarations in the tutorial).</footnote>) which is strictly
+equivalent to:
 </p>
 <sample><![CDATA[
 fun %%f%% ((%%t1%%,%%...%%,%%tn%%) -> %%s%%) (%%p1%%,%%...%%,%%pn%%) -> %%e%%
 ]]></sample>
-
 <p>
 The standard notation for local binding a function is:
 </p>

web/tutorial/getting_started.xml

@@ -115,7 +115,13 @@ The form <code>let x&amp;%%t%% = %%e%% in %%e'%%</code> is used so often that we
 <sample><![CDATA[
 let x : %%t%% = %%e%% in %%e'%%
 ]]></sample>
-Note the blank spaces around the colon: this is because the XML recommendation allows colons to occur in identifiers: see the section on <a href="namespaces.html">namespaces</a> (the same holds to for the functional arrow <code>-></code> which must be surrounded by blanks).
+Note the blank spaces around the colons
+<footnote>
+Actually only the first blank is necessary. CDuce accepts <code>let x :%%t%% = %%e%% in %%e'%%</code>,
+as well
+</footnote>.
+ This is because the XML recommendation allows colons to occur in identifiers: see the User's Manual section on <a href="namespaces.html">namespaces</a>. (the same holds to for the functional arrow symbol <code>-></code> which must be surrounded by blanks and by colons in the formal parameters of a function: see  <a
+href="manual_expressions.html#bnote1">this paragraph</a> of the User's manual).
 </box>
 
 <box title="XML documents" link="xml">