Re: New VSI post on Youtube

On 2024-08-20 12:36:51 +0000, Simon Clubley said:

One thing I wish was available in all languages is the ability to return multiple values from a function call so you can return both a status and the value(s) in one assignment. Ie: "a, b, c = demo_function(param1, param2);".
 In languages with dynamic associative arrays (such as PHP), I simulate this by returning an associative array from a function call with both status and value fields. Makes coding _so_ much cleaner and robust.

For those following along at home, C supports returning a struct.
Languages including Swift allow returning an "optional", where you either get a value such as an object, or an indication or its absence. Swift uses the concept of "unwrapping" a result marked optional, which means you have to check before access.
Returning objects is more widely available, and hides a lot of this mess, as well as hiding dealing with potentially-larger data buffers. Objects and message-passing is akin to itemlist-based APIs, dragged forward a few decades.
In other languages, support for an optional requires explicit code, whether that might return a struct, or might return a value and a sentinel, or ilk.
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