[m-dev.] User defined comparison and equality

[Fergus Henderson]

On 10-Apr-2003, Ralph Becket <rafe at cs.mu.OZ.AU> wrote:
> If a type has user-defined comparison, are unifications in the
> in = in is semidet mode implemented as calls to compare((=))?

Only if the type does not have a user-defined equality.

> Otherwise it seems to me that we can have A \= B but
> compare((=), A, B).

Yes, that is a correct interpretation of the current language reference
manual.

> The requirement that this not be the case is not listed as a
> programmer obligation in the reference manual,

Right -- currently there is no such obligation.

Should there be?

-- 
Fergus Henderson <fjh at cs.mu.oz.au>  |  "I have always known that the pursuit
The University of Melbourne         |  of excellence is a lethal habit"
WWW: <http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/~fjh>  |     -- the last words of T. S. Garp.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
mercury-developers mailing list
Post messages to:       mercury-developers at cs.mu.oz.au
Administrative Queries: owner-mercury-developers at cs.mu.oz.au
Subscriptions:          mercury-developers-request at cs.mu.oz.au
--------------------------------------------------------------------------