Re: BIND Issue

On 21/08/12 12:50, Steve Harris wrote:
> On 2012-08-21, at 12:45, Andy Seaborne wrote:
>
>> This is a brief summary of the BIND comment from Holger and Jeremy.
>>
>> {
>>    GRAPH ?g { ?s ?p ?o }
>>    BIND(?o+1 AS ?o1)
>> }
>>
>> In Query/3LC, BIND operates on the proceeding basic graph pattern, and there is always a BGP, although sometimes it's empty (and invisible in the syntax).
>>
>> This design means the introduced variable is minimally constrained by scope rules because the resulting expression is joined with the overall group elements.  The scope restriction of the applies only to the BGP.
>>
>> This use of ?o1 is OK:
>>
>> {
>>    ?s :p ?o1
>>    GRAPH ?g { ?s ?p ?o }
>>    BIND(?o+1 AS ?o1)
>> }
>>
>> But there is an impact on the expression side of BIND - the scope of the ?o is reduced to the BGP as well.  So it is undef in the example.  The ?o is the GRAPH is not available until after the BIND is calculated.
>>
>> In 1LC and 2LC BIND was translated to the algebra in the group pattern processing:
>>
>>     If E is of the form BIND(expr AS var)
>>         G := Extend(G, var, expr)
>>         End
>>
>> making the restriction scope of the var the whole of the preceding group up to that point and the same scope for the expression.  The new var and the expression scope will be the same in any design.
>>
>> Filters still apply to the group but otherwise this is like writing a sub-SELECT (if we allowed * to be used like this:)
>>
>> {
>>   { SELECT * BIND(?o+1 AS ?o1)
>>     {
>>       ?s :p ?o1
>>       GRAPH ?g { ?s ?p ?o }
>>     }
>>   }
>> }
>>
>> In 3LC, it is handled before that where BGPs and property paths are sorted out.
>>
>> Proposal:
>>
>> Restore the approach of the formal section of 1LC and 2LC.
>> Clarify in the description section.
>
> But the 1LC and 2LC BIND definition had some other undesirable side effect, that was less of a corner case, IIRC. Didn't we change it because of a comment?

1LC and 2LC weren't very clear especially in the descriptive section. 
The idea was to be clear and with minimal impact.  3LC does not seem to 
have been "minimal impact" because of the expression scoping.

The only formal comment I can find is about a different matter (DB-8).

You might be remembering my "comments" that it was unclear, based on 
user feedback. It wasn't specifically about the design, just it was not 
clear.

What do current implementations do?  We can usefully be guided by those 
given the widespread implementation of SPARQl 1.1 already.

	Andy

>
> - Steve
>

Received on Tuesday, 21 August 2012 12:20:21 UTC