Split composition: Difference between revisions

'''Split composition''' is a [[tacit]] pattern, used to pre-process argument(s) with the outer-most operands before applying the middle operand between the result. Given functions <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>f</syntaxhighlight>, <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>g</syntaxhighlight>, and <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>h</syntaxhighlight>, a split composition on arguments <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>x</syntaxhighlight> and <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>y</syntaxhighlight> is defined as <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>(f x) g (h y)</syntaxhighlight>.

This construct was introduced by the [[I|I language]] as "split-compose", where it is represented with <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>O</syntaxhighlight> which also represents the [[Over]] operator - as it too is a split composition with identical outer operands.  

This doesn't appear as a primitive in any APL, nor can it, because it [[composition|composes]] three functions, while a [[Function composition|compositional operator]] can take no more than two [[operands]]. This situation is identical to that of the [[fork]]. Both split compositions and forks can be constructed using companion operators, tying together the three involved functions.

In [[Extended Dyalog APL]] and [[dzaima/APL]], a split composition can be formed using [[Reverse Compose]] (<code>⍛</code>) and [[Compose]] (<code>∘</code>). In this example, we multiply the [[interval]] (integers up until) of the left argument, with the [[Magnitude]] of the right:

      2 ÷⍛,- 4

0.5 ¯4

This is evaluated as <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>(÷2) × (-4)</syntaxhighlight>.

In dialects that lack Reverse Compose (and even Compose), split compositions can be denoted either by defining the missing operator(s), or as a single derived function or [[fork]], if this is supported. For example, in [[Dyalog APL]] the pattern can be formed with Compose and [[Commute]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⍨</syntaxhighlight>) as <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>g⍨∘f⍨∘h</syntaxhighlight>:

<syntaxhighlight lang=apl>

      2(,⍨∘÷⍨∘-)4

Note that <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>g∘h⍨∘f⍨</syntaxhighlight> applies <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>f</syntaxhighlight> before <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>h</syntaxhighlight> which can matter for functions with side effects. For example, consider the following where <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>'x' f⍛g∘h 'y'</syntaxhighlight> would print <code>hfg</code>:

      'x' g∘h⍨∘f⍨ 'y'

The equivalent fork is <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>f⍤⊣ g h⍤⊢</syntaxhighlight>, for example:

       5 (⍳⍤⊣×|⍤⊢) 5 ¯8 ¯2 ¯5 3

5 16 6 20 15

      2(÷⍤⊣,-⍤⊢)4

0.5 ¯4

{{APL syntax}}[[Category:Primitive operators]]