Merge pull request #1925 from mdinger/vert

Allow an optional vert at the beginning of a match branch

Author: aturon

text/1925-optional-match-vert.md

@@ -0,0 +1,257 @@
+- Feature Name: `match_vert_prefix`
+- Start Date: 2017-02-23
+- RFC PR: https://github.com/rust-lang/rfcs/pull/1925
+- Rust Issue: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/44101
+
+# Summary
+[summary]: #summary
+
+This is a proposal for the rust grammar to support a vert `|` at the
+beginning of the pattern. Consider the following example:
+
+```rust
+use E::*;
+
+enum E { A, B, C, D }
+
+// This is valid Rust
+match foo {
+    A | B | C | D => (),
+}
+
+// This is an example of what this proposal should allow.
+match foo {
+    | A | B | C | D => (),
+}
+```
+
+# Motivation
+[motivation]: #motivation
+
+This is taking a feature which is nice about `F#` and allowing it by a
+straightforward extension of the current rust language. After having used
+this in `F#`, it seems limiting to not even support this at the language
+level.
+
+## `F#` Context
+
+In `F#`, enumerations (called `unions`) are declared in the following fashion where
+all of these are equivalent:
+
+```F#
+// Normal union
+type IntOrBool = I of int | B of bool
+// For consistency, have all lines look the same
+type IntOrBool = 
+   | I of int
+   | B of bool
+// Collapsing onto a single line is allowed
+type IntOrBool = | I of int | B of bool
+```
+
+Their `match` statements adopt a similar style to this. Note that every `|` is aligned,
+something which is not possible with current Rust:
+
+```F#
+match foo with
+    | I -> ""
+    | B -> ""
+```
+
+## Maximizing `|` alignment
+
+In Rust, about the best we can do is an inconsistent alignment with one of the
+following two options:
+
+```rust
+use E::*;
+
+enum E { A, B, C, D }
+
+match foo {
+//  |
+//  V Inconsistently missing a `|`.
+      A
+    | B
+    | C
+    | D => (),
+}
+
+match foo {
+    A |
+    B |
+    C |
+    D => (),
+//    ^ Also inconsistent but since this is the last in the sequence, not having 
+//    | a followup vert could be considered sensible given that no more follow.
+}
+```
+
+This proposal would allow the example to have the following form:
+
+```rust
+use E::*;
+
+enum E { A, B, C, D }
+
+match foo {
+    | A
+    | B
+    | C
+    | D => (),
+//  ^ Gained consistency by having a matching vert.
+}
+```
+
+## Flexibility in single line matches
+
+It would allow these examples which are all equivalent:
+
+```rust
+use E::*;
+
+enum E { A, B, C, D }
+
+// A preceding vert
+match foo {
+    | A | B | C | D => (),
+}
+
+// A match as is currently allowed
+match foo {
+    A | B | C | D => (),
+}
+```
+
+> There should be no ambiguity about what either of these means. Preference
+between these should just come down to a choice of style.
+
+## Benefits to macros
+
+This benefits macros. Needs filling in.
+
+## Multiple branches
+
+All of these matches are equivalent, each written in a different style:
+
+```rust
+use E::*;
+
+enum E { A, B, C, D }
+
+match foo {
+    A | B => println!("Give me A | B!"),
+    C | D => println!("Give me C | D!"),
+}
+
+match foo {
+    | A | B => println!("Give me A | B!"),
+    | C | D => println!("Give me C | D!"),
+}
+
+match foo {
+    | A
+    | B => println!("Give me A | B!"),
+    | C
+    | D => println!("Give me C | D!"),
+}
+
+match foo {
+    A | B =>
+        println!("Give me A | B!"),
+    C | D =>
+        println!("Give me C | D!"),
+}
+```
+
+## Comparing misalignment
+
+```rust
+use E::*;
+
+enum E { A, B, C }
+
+match foo {
+    | A
+    | B => {},
+    | C => {}
+//  ^ Following the style above, a `|` could be placed before the first
+// element of every branch.
+
+match value {
+    | A
+    | B => {},
+    C => {}
+//  ^ Including a `|` for the `A` but not for the `C` seems inconsistent
+// but hardly invalid. Branches *always* follow the `=>`. Not something
+// a *grammar* should be greatly concerned about.
+}
+```
+
+# Detailed design
+[design]: #detailed-design
+
+I don't know about the implementation but the grammar could be updated so that
+an optional `|` is allowed at the beginning. Nothing else in the grammar should
+need updating.
+
+```text
+// Before
+match_pat : pat [ '|' pat ] * [ "if" expr ] ? ;
+// After
+match_pat : '|' ? pat [ '|' pat ] * [ "if" expr ] ? ;
+```
+
+# How We Teach This
+[how-we-teach-this]: #how-we-teach-this
+
+Adding examples for this are straightforward. You just include an example pointing
+out that leading verts are allowed. Simple examples such as below should be easy
+to add to all different resources.
+
+```rust
+use Letter::*;
+
+enum Letter {
+    A,
+    B,
+    C,
+    D,
+}
+
+fn main() {
+    let a = Letter::A;
+    let b = Letter::B;
+    let c = Letter::C;
+    let d = Letter::D;
+
+    match a {
+        A => "A",
+        // Can do alternatives with a `|`.
+        B | C | D => "B, C, or D",
+    }
+
+    match b {
+        | A => "A",
+        // Leading `|` is allowed.
+        | B
+        | C
+        | D => "B, C, or D",
+    }
+}
+```
+
+# Drawbacks
+[drawbacks]: #drawbacks
+
+N/A
+
+# Alternatives
+[alternatives]: #alternatives
+
+N/A
+
+# Unresolved questions
+[unresolved]: #unresolved-questions
+
+N/A