[ http://tools.oasis-open.org/issues/browse/OFFICE-2585?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:comment-tabpanel&focusedCommentId=17889#action_17889 ]
David Wheeler commented on OFFICE-2585:
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A pseudotype is not a type. Spreadsheets store values that have *types*. "Pseudotype" is just a "subtype" or "a type that meets some additional constraints". E.G., an "Integer" is a pseudotype of Number; it is a Number that has no fractional part. The only reason pseudotypes are in the specification is that I and some others think they make the specification easier to write and understand.
Perhaps we should change the name from "Pseudotype" to "Subtype"? Would that help?
"If a value doesn't meet the requirements for the pseudotype, what result could there be other than error?"
In many cases, a function can implement capabilities beyond what is required by the specification. For example, a "factorial" function when given a non-integer value could call on a gamma function to produce something useful. We are specifying the *minimum* requirements... if you ask an evaluator to do something beyond what is required, then it is no longer portable, but that does not make it meaningless.
> Pseudotypes and the return of errors
> ------------------------------------
>
> Key: OFFICE-2585
> URL: http://tools.oasis-open.org/issues/browse/OFFICE-2585
> Project: OASIS Open Document Format for Office Applications (OpenDocument) TC
> Issue Type: Bug
> Reporter: Patrick Durusau
>
> In 5.2, under Semantics we say: "If a parameter is a pseudotype, but the provided value fails to meet the requirements for that type, a function/operator may return an Error value."
> If a value doesn't meet the requirements for the pseudotype, what result could there be other than error?
> If there are different results, how does this "standard" enable interoperability?
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