# Re: Ruby Whitespace Semantics

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-ruby-whitespace-semantics/74188>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [February 27, 2006, 4:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-ruby-whitespace-semantics/74188 "2006-02-27T16:07:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sauy7)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 4:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-ruby-whitespace-semantics/74188/1 "2006-02-27T16:07:20Z")

</div>

Matz has said that

a = (4  
+5)

will be supported in 1.9.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sauy7)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-ruby-whitespace-semantics/74188/2 "2006-02-27T17:54:44Z")

</div>

Quoting Jim F. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid):

> Matz has said that
> 
> a = (4  
> +5)

Hmm. What about

a = ( 4 ; + 5 )

?

I won’t be heartbroken if it isn’t, but I’m just wondering about the  
implications for the grammar…

-mental

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sauy7)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-ruby-whitespace-semantics/74188/3 "2006-02-27T20:04:15Z")

</div>

[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote in message  
news:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid…

> Hmm. What about  
> a = ( 4 ; + 5 )

It should be a syntax error.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sauy7)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-ruby-whitespace-semantics/74188/4 "2006-02-27T20:10:29Z")

</div>

On Feb 27, 2006, at 2:03 PM, Mark W. wrote:

> [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote in message  
> news:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid…
> 
> > Hmm. What about  
> > a = ( 4 ; + 5 )
> 
> It should be a syntax error.

Why? The semantics seem perfectly clear.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sauy7)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-ruby-whitespace-semantics/74188/5 "2006-02-27T20:50:33Z")

</div>

Quoting Mark W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid):

> > Hmm. What about  
> > a = ( 4 ; + 5 )
> 
> It should be a syntax error.

Ruby has an unary +…

-mental

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sauy7)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2006, 1:30am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-ruby-whitespace-semantics/74188/6 "2006-02-28T01:30:57Z")

</div>

Mark W. wrote:

> [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote in message  
> news:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid…
> 
> > Hmm. What about  
> > a = ( 4 ; + 5 )
> 
> It should be a syntax error.

Why/how?

Hal