TABLES - Revision history

Jpye: added DATASET details

2026-02-24T05:49:46Z

added DATASET details

Jpye at 12:55, 17 February 2026

2026-02-17T12:55:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:55, 17 February 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	This ~~document captures~~ the ~~current v0.5 concept for tabular data~~ syntax in ASCEND~~. It is a language design draft, not a complete implementation specification~~.		This page documents the TABLE/VALUES/DATASET syntax and behavior that is actually implemented in ASCEND at present.

	== ~~Goals~~ ==		== Status Summary ==

	* ~~Keep ASCEND’s explicit, type-aware style~~.		* <code>TABLE</code>: parsed and compiled.
	* ~~Minimize repetitive boilerplate for indexed data~~.		* <code>VALUES</code>: parsed only (no statement object/lowering yet).
	* ~~Support both compact in-model data and external datasets.~~		* <code>DATASET</code>: parsed only (no statement object/lowering yet).
	* Preserve dimensional/~~unit checking as a first-class feature~~.

	~~== New Declarations ==~~
	== TABLE Syntax (Implemented) ==		== TABLE Syntax (Implemented) ==

	<source lang=ascend>		<source lang=ascend>
	TABLE <target_name> [POSITIONAL] [DEFAULT <expr>];		TABLE <target_name> [IS_A <type_name>[(<type_args>)] [OF <set_type>]] [POSITIONAL] [DEFAULT <expr>];
	...		...
	END TABLE;		END TABLE;
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	Notes:		Notes:

			* Inline declaration is supported, eg <code>TABLE cost[r,c] IS_A factor_constant;</code>.
			* When inline declaration is used, ASCEND injects an equivalent <code>IS_A</code> declaration statement before the TABLE statement during parsing.
	* <code>POSITIONAL</code> and <code>DEFAULT</code> may both be written.		* <code>POSITIONAL</code> and <code>DEFAULT</code> may both be written.
	* Body rows are newline-based.		* Body rows are newline-based.
Line 40:		Line 40:

	<source lang=ascend>		<source lang=ascend>
	TABLE cost[r,c] POSITIONAL;		TABLE cost[r,c] IS_A integer_constant POSITIONAL;
	11 12 13		11 12 13
	21 22 23		21 22 23
Line 59:		Line 59:

	<source lang=ascend>		<source lang=ascend>
	TABLE cost[r,c];		TABLE cost[r,c] IS_A integer_constant;
	3 1 2		3 1 2
	2 23 21 22		2 23 21 22
Line 93:		Line 93:

	<source lang=ascend>		<source lang=ascend>
	TABLE cost[r,c];		TABLE cost[r,c] IS_A integer_constant;
	c3,c1,c2;		c3,c1,c2;
	alan,23,21,22;		alan,23,21,22;
Line 114:		Line 114:
	r IS_A set OF integer_constant;		r IS_A set OF integer_constant;
	c IS_A set OF symbol_constant;		c IS_A set OF symbol_constant;
	~~cost[r][c] IS_A integer_constant;~~

	TABLE cost[r,c];		TABLE cost[r,c] IS_A integer_constant;
	a b		a b
	2: 21 22		2: 21 22

Jpye: updated -- as implemented

2026-02-17T11:41:26Z

updated -- as implemented

Show changes

Jpye at 11:07, 17 February 2026

2026-02-17T11:07:23Z

Jpye at 11:06, 17 February 2026

2026-02-17T11:06:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:06, 17 February 2026
Line 39:		Line 39:
	Examples:		Examples:

	~~'Standard~~ form', with row and column labels, as well as the central data array:		Dense form, with row and column labels, as well as the central data array:

	<source lang=ascend>		<source lang=ascend>
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	3 4 2 1		3 4 2 1
	4 5 3 2		4 5 3 2
			END TABLE;
			</source>

			<source lang=ascend>
			TABLE ship_cost[customer,facility];
			Sydney 'New York' Rome
			Alan 2 4 5
			Bernhard 3 1 2
			Colin 4 2 1
			David 4 5 3
	END TABLE;		END TABLE;
	</source>		</source>

Jpye at 11:04, 17 February 2026

2026-02-17T11:04:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:04, 17 February 2026
Line 38:		Line 38:

	Examples:		Examples:

			'Standard form', with row and column labels, as well as the central data array:

	<source lang=ascend>		<source lang=ascend>
	TABLE ship_cost[customer,facility];		TABLE ship_cost[customer,facility];
	1 2 3		1 2 3
	1 2 4 5		1 2 4 5
	2 3;		2 3 1 2
	1 2
	3 4 2 1		3 4 2 1
	4 5 3 2		4 5 3 2
	END TABLE;		END TABLE;
	</source>		</source>

			Sparse form, as flagged via the <tt>DEFAULT value</tt> term:

	<source lang=ascend>TABLE ship_cost[customer,facility] DEFAULT 0;		<source lang=ascend>TABLE ship_cost[customer,facility] DEFAULT 0;
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	END TABLE;		END TABLE;
	</source>		</source>

			'Positional' form, where row and column labels are implied (integer sequence):

	<source lang=ascend>		<source lang=ascend>

Jpye at 11:01, 17 February 2026

2026-02-17T11:01:37Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:01, 17 February 2026
Line 13:		Line 13:

	Intended for two-axis table data mapped to existing arrays.		Intended for two-axis table data mapped to existing arrays.

	~~Header:~~

	<source lang=ascend>		<source lang=ascend>
	TABLE <array_name>[<row_index_set>,<col_index_set>] [POSITIONAL] [DEFAULT <expr>];		TABLE <array_name>[<row_index_set>,<col_index_set>] [POSITIONAL] [DEFAULT <expr>];
	~~</source>~~		...

	~~Body and ending:~~

	~~<source lang=ascend>~~...
	END TABLE;		END TABLE;
	</source>		</source>

Jpye at 11:01, 17 February 2026

2026-02-17T11:01:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:01, 17 February 2026
Line 24:		Line 24:
	<source lang=ascend>...		<source lang=ascend>...
	END TABLE;		END TABLE;
	<source ~~lang=ascend~~>		</source>

	Rules:		Rules:

Jpye: category

2026-02-17T09:04:46Z

Jpye: initial spec

2026-02-17T08:52:15Z

initial spec

New page

This document captures the current v0.5 concept for tabular data syntax in ASCEND. It is a language design draft, not a complete implementation specification.

== Goals ==

* Keep ASCEND’s explicit, type-aware style.
* Minimize repetitive boilerplate for indexed data.
* Support both compact in-model data and external datasets.
* Preserve dimensional/unit checking as a first-class feature.

== New Declarations ==

=== 1) <code>TABLE</code> ===

Intended for two-axis table data mapped to existing arrays.

Header:

<source lang=ascend>
TABLE <array_name>[<row_index_set>,<col_index_set>] [POSITIONAL] [DEFAULT <expr>];
</source>

Body and ending:

<source lang=ascend>...
END TABLE;
<source lang=ascend>

Rules:

* Default (non-<code>POSITIONAL</code>) form:
* first row contains column labels.
* subsequent rows contain row label followed by row values.
* <code>:</code> after row label is optional.
* Sparse form:
* no header row required.
* each row uses <code><col_label>=<value></code> pairs.
* <code>DEFAULT <expr></code> indicates unspecified cells are filled with the default.
* <code>POSITIONAL</code> form:
* no row/column labels in body.
* values are interpreted positionally from set ordering.
* Row separator:
* newline is the natural row separator.
* <code>;</code> immediately before newline joins lines, so one logical row can wrap across physical lines.

Examples:

<source lang=ascend>
TABLE ship_cost[customer,facility];
1 2 3
1 2 4 5
2 3;
1 2
3 4 2 1
4 5 3 2
END TABLE;
</source>

<source lang=ascend>TABLE ship_cost[customer,facility] DEFAULT 0;
1: 1=2 2=4 3=5
2: 1=3 2=1 3=2
4 1=5 3=2
END TABLE;
</source>

<source lang=ascend>
TABLE c[city,city] POSITIONAL;
0 89 22 11
21 0 94 77
11 19 0 35
79 33 99 0
END TABLE;
</source>

=== 2) <code>VALUES</code> ===

Intended for vectors and sparse ND assignments.

<source lang=ascend>
VALUES <array_name>[<index_set>, ...] [DEFAULT <expr>];
<k1>[,<k2>...] = <value>;
...
END VALUES;
</source>

Example:

<source lang=ascend>
VALUES demand[customer] DEFAULT 0;
1 = 45;
2 = 30;
3 = 40;
4 = 35;
END VALUES;
</source>

=== 3) <code>DATASET</code> ===

Intended for external files, especially large time-series and operational data.

<source lang=ascend>
DATASET <dataset_name> FROM "file.csv";
INDEX <set_name> FROM COLUMN <col_name> IS_A <type_name>;
<array_name>[<index_set>] FROM COLUMN <col_name> [{<units>}] [IS_A <type_name>];
...
END DATASET;
</source>

Example:

<source lang=ascend>
DATASET ops FROM "ops.csv";
INDEX t FROM COLUMN timestamp IS_A time;
load[t] FROM COLUMN load_MW {MW};
END DATASET;
</source>
Notes:

* <code>DATASET</code> map targets must be indexed (<code>name[...]</code>).
* If <code>IS_A</code> is omitted on a map line, a default type (planned: <code>real_constant</code>, dimensionless) can be assumed during compile/lowering.

== Labels and Quoting ==

* Identifier-like labels can be unquoted.
* Labels with spaces/punctuation require symbol-constant quoting: <tt>'New York'</tt>

== Units Concept ==

* Unit metadata may come from file metadata/rows (future data-handler behavior).
* Inline units in <code>DATASET</code> mappings are allowed and should be checked for compatibility against declared type dimensions.

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:07, 17 February 2026
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	* Default (non-<code>POSITIONAL</code>) form:		* Default (non-<code>POSITIONAL</code>) form:
	* first row contains column labels.		** first row contains column labels.
	* subsequent rows contain row label followed by row values.		** subsequent rows contain row label followed by row values.
	* <code>:</code> after row label is optional.		** <code>:</code> after row label is optional.
	* Sparse form:		* Sparse form:
	* no header row required.		** no header row required.
	* each row uses <code><col_label>=<value></code> pairs.		** each row uses <code><col_label>=<value></code> pairs.
	* <code>DEFAULT <expr></code> indicates unspecified cells are filled with the default.		** <code>DEFAULT <expr></code> indicates unspecified cells are filled with the default.
	* <code>POSITIONAL</code> form:		** <code>POSITIONAL</code> form:
	* no row/column labels in body.		** no row/column labels in body.
	* values are interpreted positionally from set ordering.		** values are interpreted positionally from set ordering.
	* Row separator:		* Row separator:
	* newline is the natural row separator.		** newline is the natural row separator.
	* <code>;</code> immediately before newline joins lines, so one logical row can wrap across physical lines.		** <code>;</code> immediately before newline joins lines, so one logical row can wrap across physical lines.

	Examples:		Examples:

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:04, 17 February 2026
Line 128:		Line 128:
	* Unit metadata may come from file metadata/rows (future data-handler behavior).		* Unit metadata may come from file metadata/rows (future data-handler behavior).
	* Inline units in <code>DATASET</code> mappings are allowed and should be checked for compatibility against declared type dimensions.		* Inline units in <code>DATASET</code> mappings are allowed and should be checked for compatibility against declared type dimensions.

			[[Category:Development]]