[comp.lang.icon] IAWK

dscargo@CIM-VAX.HONEYWELL.COM ("DAVE CARGO") (09/01/89)

After seeing and using IAWK (albeit in a trivial fashion) I realized that it
lacked some features that I think would make it much more useful.

(1) The code that was input by the user should be written to a log file of
some sort, for future reference.

(2) There should be some kind of simple include directive that allows the user
to retrieve pieces of code from a specified file.

(3) There should be an option to suppress output of empty results.  (I hadn't
tried having update return &fail as a result, but that might work.)

(4) The name of the output routine should be a global variable intialized to
the standard output routine. The user can then input his own output routine
and change the value of the variable containing the routine to call.  This
allows the user to get more control of the output when needed.

Changes 1 and 2 used together would allow some iteration, providing a method
for the users to make an initial guess as to what they want and then tuning
the results.  (Alternatively the deletion of the generated program could be
turned off or made optional.)

Any responses or other opinions (especially invited from the author).

dsc