bertrand@eiffel.UUCP (Bertrand Meyer) (01/12/91)
In the above referenced message, Steve Tynor raises the problem of name clashes between different classes of a given system. He is perfectly right. We have recognized this problem as a disaster waiting to happen as people build larger and larger systems and, especially, reuse classes from various sources. This problem is resolved in version 3 of Eiffel. The SDF format (an SDF is a ``system description file'' which indicates where to find classes) has been adapted (so that its syntax is now Eiffel-like) and includes a class renaming facility, directly patterned after the Eiffel feature renaming facility for inheritance. This directly address the problem raised by Mr. Tynor. The format for system descriptions (ESDL, Eiffel System Description Language) is not part of Eiffel but a recommended component for platforms where system structure will be specified in a textual way (as opposed e.g. to interactive point-and-click option selection). It is flexible enough to allow various implementers to introduce specific compiler options etc. For anyone who has not been following closely, Version 3 is described in the Prentice-Hall version of ``Eiffel: The Language'' which will be available in March. Interactive's version will be up to level 3 only later in the year. -- -- Bertrand Meyer bertrand@eiffel.com