Browsing by Author "Middleton, Tony"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    A transformation approach to implementing aggregate operations
    (1979) Middleton, Tony
    Some of the expressive power of certain programming languages depends on the provision of convenient means of operating on collections, or "aggregates", of data values. This paper argues that certain aggregate operations could be implemented by applying transformations to fragments of program which access the elements of an aggregate. The proposals are considered to be a viable means of supporting "data abstractions" - i.e. for allowing certain operations in a language to be insensitive to the detailed implementation of a data structure.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    On assignment between data paths
    (1979) Middleton, Tony
    This paper discusses an approach to the manipulation of "data paths". In particular, assignment between data paths is discussed. The notion of a "data path" is somewhat similar to that of an "abstract data structure" except that there is greater emphasis on the fact that elements are processed sequentially. The work is part of a broader effort to allow higher-level operations to be applicable to a wider range of data paths. The aim is to specify higher-level operations in such a manner that the nature of the data paths being manipulated is conveyed explicitly, and naturally, along with the specification of the operations being performed. Only simple cases are dealt with, but that is considered to reflect "work done so far" rather than inherent limitations of the approach.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    On the use of "fixed" data paths for assignment
    (1979) Middleton, Tony
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Representing data paths by program structures
    (1979) Middleton, Tony
    This paper discusses an approach to using program fragments to characterise data aggregates (or "data paths"). The main topic of the paper is the use of this representation to specify assignments between data paths. The approach allows certain assignments between paths to be represented in a conceptually simpler manner than would be the case for conventional techniques.