would be nice to improve the arrays in MINT
✅ Comparison of Array Handling: 4tH 3.64 vs SJ Manual MINT v2
1. Declaration and Memory Management
| Feature |
4tH 3.64 |
MINT v2 |
| Syntax |
16 array arrname |
[1 2 3] a! |
| Mutability |
Fully mutable arrays |
Immutable once defined (heap-allocated) |
| Memory Control |
Explicit cell allocation |
Auto-allocated on heap; manual deallocation not needed |
| Stack Involvement |
Address must be manipulated for access (th, etc.) |
Address saved in a variable directly, used with ?/?! |
| Dynamic Sizing |
Size fixed at declaration |
Same—fixed size, but easily create new arrays dynamically |
2. Access & Mutation
| Feature |
4tH 3.64 |
MINT v2 |
| Read |
arr 0 th @ |
a 0? |
| Write |
5 arr 0 th ! |
-222 a0?! |
| Nested Access |
Manual offset calc required |
Native nested arrays with recursive ? access |
| Byte Arrays |
Possible with special handling |
Native with \[ mode and \?, \?! |
3. Array Operations
| Feature |
4tH 3.64 |
MINT v2 |
| Copy Array |
smove |
Manual via loops with /i, ?, ?! |
| Array Size |
Manual tracking or dynamic |
/S operator |
| Array Depth |
Not native; emulate with offsets |
Buggy in MINT v2 (/D documented but broken) |
| Array of Constants |
create sizes 18 , 21 , 24 , |
[a b c] with variables embedded |
4. Advanced Features
| Feature |
4tH 3.64 |
MINT v2 |
| Associative Arrays |
Yes via hashtable |
No native support |
| Bit Arrays |
Yes via bit-array, bit-on, etc. |
No native bit-array support |
| Function Arrays / FP Support |
Closures via does> (manual) |
Anonymous functions inside arrays (partially buggy) |
| Memory Allocation |
create, allot, etc. |
/A for uninitialized memory blocks |
🔧 Recommended Upgrades to MINT v2 for Array Support
To make MINT v2 competitive or more usable for real-world array tasks, consider implementing the following:
1. Add Mutable Array Resizing or Cloning
- Why: MINT arrays are fixed-size and immutable post-declaration.
- Fix: Add
/R (resize) or /C (clone) operator to duplicate arrays to a new location with extended slots.
2. Fix /D (Depth) for Arrays
- Why: Currently broken, but essential for safe iteration.
- Fix: Implement working
/D to return depth of nested arrays (and differentiate from /S).
3. Add Native smove Equivalent
- Why: Copying arrays manually with
/i and loops is verbose.
- Fix: Introduce
/M or /COPY to clone array contents from one pointer to another.
4. Implement Bit Array Operations
- Why: Useful for flags, memory-efficient booleans.
- Fix: Add syntax like
bON, bOFF, bTOGGLE, b? mapped to heap offsets.
5. Improve Anonymous Function Array Execution
- Why: Presently broken/hangs (
:/G fails inconsistently).
- Fix: Resolve bugs in
:@ creation and /G execution, especially within nested structures.
6. Add Associative Arrays (Hash Tables)
- Why: Keyed storage is essential for real applications (like config, cache, maps).
- Fix: Add native or library-based support for
[key val key val] structures with PUT/GET.