"IZ" == Ilya Zakharevich <ilya(_at_)math(_dot_)ohio-state(_dot_)edu>
writes:
IZ> I do not care about implementation. As far as any editing operartion
IZ> leaves numberator and denominator adjacent to each other. This is
IZ> automatically so if the *implementation* uses 3 boundaries to get the
IZ> regions.
Err, how? substr($text,0,5) = "" would be pointing off into space.
And with inband data anything at all could happen. Basically, any
method would require that the metadata be adjusted along with
the underlying text.
Using an alternative representation where regions would be manipulated
(rather than raw characters) would help avoid the issue, but that
isn't the current schema.
One could remember from which direction the insertion is happening.
After the '3' or before the '4'.
IZ> How would
IZ> substr($text, 3, 0) = "5"
IZ> know?
You are correct. The current language doesn't have such a concept. I was
simply throwing out some idea. But your suggestion has the same weakness
on which side of the boundary are you inserting?
I think that perhaps not allowing cross region manipulation (i.e.
at your own risk) would be the best approach.
IZ> P.S. And you are mixing fractions and rational numbers. 4/5 = -8/-10
IZ> as numbers, but they are different fractions.
I never claimed to be a mathematition, though I do have some relatives
that do it for a living. I do try to be rational though. And I avoid
begin fractional about anything.
<chaim>
--
Chaim Frenkel Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.
chaimf(_at_)pobox(_dot_)com
+1-718-236-0183
