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Abc (programming Language)




  paradigm , Procedural , Structured
  designer Leo Geurts , Lambert Meertens , Steven Pemberton
  developer CWI
  latest Release Version 10502
  typing Strong
  influenced Python


ABC is an imperative general-purpose Programming Language and Programming Environment developed at CWI , Netherlands by Leo Geurts , Lambert Meertens , and Steven Pemberton . It is interactive, structured, high-level, and easy to learn and use, intended to be used instead of BASIC , Pascal , or even AWK . It is not a systems-programming language but is good for teaching or prototyping.

ABC has only five basic Datatype s. It does not require variable declarations. It has explicit support for top-down programming. Statement nesting is indicated by Indentation . It provides Infinite Precision Arithmetic , unlimited sized lists and strings, and other features supporting orthogonality and ease of use by novices. Its designers claim that ABC programs are typically around a quarter the size of the equivalent Pascal or C programs, and more readable.

ABC was originally a monolithic implementation, leading to an inability to adapt to new requirements, such as creating a Graphical User Interface . ABC could not directly access the underlying file system and operating system.

ABC includes a programming environment with Syntax-directed Editing , suggestions, Persistent Variables , and multiple workspaces.

ABC is available as an Interpreter / Compiler , currently at version 1.05.02. ABC has been ported to Unix , DOS , Atari , and Apple Macintosh .

ABC also had a major influence on the design of the Python Programming Language ; Guido Van Rossum , who developed Python, previously worked for several years on the ABC system in the early 1980s [http://www.onlamp.com/lpt/a/2431 .


EXAMPLE

An example function words to collect the set of all words in a document:

HOW TO RETURN words document:
PUT {} IN collection
FOR line IN document:
FOR word IN split line:
IF word not.in collection:
INSERT word IN collection
RETURN collection


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