Function Expressions

There are two forms of function expression. The constructor form has the syntax

func< FORMAL_IDFIER, ..., FORMAL_IDFIER | EXPRESSION >

and the statements form has the syntax

function(FORMAL_IDFIER, ..., FORMAL_IDFIER)
    STATEMENTS
end function

Each of these creates an expression which evaluates to a function. The most common use for a function expression is to assign it to an identifier immediately, but a function can be used as an object in its own right.

Example

// Function expression (recursive) for the n-th Fibonacci number:

func< n | n le 2 select 1 else $$(n-1) + $$(n-2) >

// and a direct call to it:

> print func< n | n le 2 select 1 else $$(n-1) + $$(n-2) >(8);
21

Given a real t and a suitable function f at runtime, this function expression will return q^5 + 4*q^3 - 2*Exp(q) + q*t where q=f(t):

Example

function(t, f)
q := f(t);
return q^5 + 4*q^3 - 2*Exp(q) + q*t;
end function