Re: rq25 aggregate functions

Yes. Please see http://www.w3.org/2009/sparql/track/issues/53

Lee

Andy Seaborne wrote:
> Can we raise an ISSUE for this so it does not get lost, please?
> 
>     Andy
> 
> On 21/12/2009 23:56, Steve Harris wrote:
>> On 21 Dec 2009, at 18:07, Andy Seaborne wrote:
>>
>>> Steve and I were discussing aggregates on IRC: this is for the record
>>> because we didn't have time to complete the discussion there and then.
>>>
>>> What we both want is that
>>>
>>> sum(1, unbound) -> 1
>>>
>>> sum(1, 2/0) -> error
>>>
>>> i.e skip unbounds in the group but return error on bad expressions.
>>>
>>> COALESCE does not help because it treats both as the same. And does
>>> not work for min and max which are multi-datatype.
>>>
>>> The key text is:
>>>
>>> [[
>>> Definition: Aggregation
>>>
>>> Any unbound values exp · μ' do not appear in the resulting value 
>>> multiset
>>> ]]
>>>
>>> which (my reading) that says evaluate exp on μ' then see if it's 
>>> unbound.
>>>
>>> But the single variable case sum(?x) has an expression of ?x so exp ·
>>> μ' is called on unbound ?x (which is an error) then the test is made
>>> to see if it's unbound (it's not - it's now error).
>>>
>>> We could special-case evaluation of aggregates. If it's a single
>>> variable, then return value or unbound. If it's any other expression
>>> (including ?x+0), then evaluate as normal, i.e. error. There are
>>> otherways for sum (e.g. the value of unbound is always zero) but is
>>> using the special feature that zero is the identity value for + so
>>> does not work for other aggregates.
>>
>> Another option would be to say that if there are any variables appearing
>> in exp (other than as an argument to COALESCE) that are unbound in μ',
>> the result in unbound.
>>
>> It's unfortunate for aggregates that eval(?x) for unbound ?x is an error.
>>
>> - Steve
>>
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> 
> 

Received on Wednesday, 23 December 2009 18:54:00 UTC