manual: add section on lambda expressions.

This commit is contained in:
Graydon Hoare 2012-10-11 14:42:11 -07:00
parent 2bb141c1f9
commit 1a885f6be1

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@ -1975,13 +1975,47 @@ An example of a call expression:
let x: int = add(1, 2);
~~~~
### Shared function expressions
### Lambda expressions
*TODO*.
~~~~~~~~ {.abnf .gram}
ident_list : [ ident [ ',' ident ]* ] ? ;
lambda_expr : '|' ident_list '| expr ;
~~~~~~~~
### Unique function expressions
A _lambda expression_ (a.k.a. "anonymous function expression") defines a function and denotes it as a value,
in a single expression.
Lambda expressions are written by prepending a list of identifiers, surrounded by pipe symbols (`|`),
to an expression.
*TODO*.
A lambda expression denotes a function mapping parameters to the expression to the right of the `ident_list`.
The identifiers in the `ident_list` are the parameters to the function, with types inferred from context.
Lambda expressions are most useful when passing functions as arguments to other functions,
as an abbreviation for defining and capturing a separate fucntion.
Significantly, lambda expressions _capture their environment_,
which regular [function definitions](#functions) do not.
The exact type of capture depends on the [function type](#function-types) inferred for the lambda expression;
in the simplest and least-expensive form, the environment is captured by reference,
effectively borrowing pointers to all outer variables referenced inside the function.
Other forms of capture include making copies of captured variables,
and moving values from the environment into the lambda expression's captured environment.
An example of a lambda expression:
~~~~
fn ten_times(f: fn(int)) {
let mut i = 0;
while i < 10 {
f(i);
i += 1;
}
}
ten_times(|j| io::println(fmt!("hello, %d", j)));
~~~~
### While loops