Ordinal numbers

[Jonathan Cooper]

Richmond, I don't understand the problem. Can't you simply ignore the ordinal versions ("first <chunk>" ... "tenth <chunk>")? Just teach your students the cardinal versions ("<chunk> <num>"). 

I remember, when learning HyperCard ages ago, regarding this alternative syntax as a kind of free bonus. But most of the time I just wrote, e.g., "get item 3 of the_line" instead of "get third item of the_line", 'cause it was quicker.

(In fact I wouldn't be surprised if it's only in LiveCode for backward compatibility with HyperCard.)

Jonathan Cooper
http://doctordada.com

On 04/07/2014, at 1:04 AM, Richmond <richmondmathewson at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 04/07/14 00:43, Mark Schonewille wrote:
>> Hi Richmond,
>> 
>> Ten is defined as a constant and tenth as a keyword according to the dictionary. Eleven and eleventh aren't defined. Although a warning might be appropriate, it is easy to find out why it doesn't work, if one reads the dictionary: eleven and eleventh don't exist. Unfortunately, something lacking from the dictionary doesn't always mean that it doesn't exist :-(
>> 
>> I agree it is silly that LiveCode only contains the constants one to ten. I'm not sure that it is possible to have an infinite number of constants defined as ordinal numbers, but it should be possible to do this for very large numbers. Perhaps a feature request?
>> 
> 
> My feature request would be to REMOVE the ordinals! Then one could ONLY do:
> 
> delete char 3  and so on
> 
> and things would be consistent.
> 
> Certainly my "grumble" (and it is only a grumble, it is NOT a roaring complaint) is about
> inconsistencies, which makes teaching Livecode a bit more difficult than perhaps may be
> necessary.
> 
> Richmond.
> 
>