New syntax, sugar type expressions must be placed in the left

docs/pages/overview.md

@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ Array is a list with where its size is fixed and known at compile-time:
 local a: array(integer, 4) = {1,2,3,4}
 print(a[0], a[1], a[2], a[3]) -- outputs: 1 2 3 4
 
-local b: integer[4] -- "integer[4]" is syntax sugar for "array(integer, 4)"
+local b: [4]integer -- "[4]integer" is syntax sugar for "array(integer, 4)"
 print(b[0], b[1], b[2], b[3]) -- outputs: 0 0 0 0
 local len = #b -- get the length of the array, should be 4
 print(len) -- outputs: 4
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ local p: pointer --a generic pointer to anything, initialized to nilptr
 local i: pointer(integer) -- pointer to an integer
 
 -- syntax sugar
-local i: integer*
+local i: *integer
 ```
 
 Pointers are straight translated to C raw pointers.
@@ -697,7 +697,7 @@ are pointers to a block of contiguous elements which size is known at runtime:
 
 ```nelua
 require 'span'
-local arr = (@integer[4]) {1,2,3,4}
+local arr = (@[4]integer) {1,2,3,4}
 local s: span(integer) = &arr
 print(s[0], s[1]) -- outputs: 1 2
 print(#s) -- outputs 4
@@ -1013,13 +1013,13 @@ For defining or calling a method the colon token `:` must be used, just like in
 local Rect = @record{x: number, y: number, w: number, h: number}
 
 function Rect:translate(x: number, y: number)
-  -- 'self' here is of the type 'Rect*'
+  -- 'self' here is of the type '*Rect'
   self.x = self.x + x
   self.y = self.y + y
 end
 
 function Rect:area()
-  -- 'self' here is of the type 'Rect*'
+  -- 'self' here is of the type '*Rect'
   return self.w * self.h
 end
 
@@ -1175,7 +1175,7 @@ require 'memory'
 require 'allocators.gc'
 
 local Person = @record{name: string, age: integer}
-local p: Person* = gc_allocator:new(@Person)
+local p: *Person = gc_allocator:new(@Person)
 p.name = "John"
 p.age = 20
 print(p.name, p.age)
@@ -1200,7 +1200,7 @@ require 'memory'
 require 'allocators.general'
 
 local Person = @record{name: string, age: integer}
-local p: Person* = general_allocator:new(@Person) -- allocate the appropriate size for Person
+local p: *Person = general_allocator:new(@Person) -- allocate the appropriate size for Person
 p.name = tostring("John") -- another allocation here
 p.age = 20
 print(p.name, p.age)
@@ -1230,7 +1230,7 @@ The compiler can perform automatic referencing or dereferencing for records or a
 ```nelua
 local Person = @record{name: stringview, age: integer}
 local p: Person = {"John", 20}
-local p_ref: Person* = p -- the referencing with `&` is implicit here
+local p_ref: *Person = p -- the referencing with `&` is implicit here
 local p_copy: Person = p_ref -- the dereferencing with `$` is implicit here
 ```
 
@@ -1239,7 +1239,7 @@ For instance, the above code is equivalent to:
 ```nelua
 local Person = @record{name: stringview, age: integer}
 local p: Person = {"John", 20}
-local p_ref: Person* = &p
+local p_ref: *Person = &p
 local p_copy: Person = $p_ref
 ```
 
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@ but permits auto referencing when doing method calls:
 local Person = @record{name: stringview, age: integer}
 
 -- note that this function only accept pointers
-function Person.print_info(self: Person*)
+function Person.print_info(self: *Person)
   print(self.name, self.age)
 end
 
@@ -1463,7 +1463,7 @@ local a = #[create_sequence(integer, 10)]#
 The above code compile exactly as:
 
 ```nelua
-local a = (@integer[10]){1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10}
+local a = (@[10]integer){1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10}
 ```
 
 ### Code blocks as arguments to preprocessor functions
@@ -1729,7 +1729,7 @@ It's hard to explain in words, lets view a full example:
 
   -- Define a record using T and MaxSize compile-time parameters.
   local FixedStackArrayT = @record {
-    data: T[MaxSize],
+    data: [MaxSize]T,
     size: isize
   }
 
@@ -1982,15 +1982,15 @@ local function sum_container(container: indexable_concept)
 end
 
 -- We create our customized array type.
-local MyArray = @record {data: integer[10]}
+local MyArray = @record {data: [10]integer}
 function MyArray:__index(i: integer)
   return self.data[i]
 end
 function MyArray:__len()
   return #self.data
 end
 
-local a: integer[10] = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10}
+local a: [10]integer = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10}
 local b: MyArray = {data = a}
 
 -- sum_container can be called with 'a' because it matches the concept

examples/brainfuck.nelua

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 require 'C.stdio'
 
-local data: int32[1024]
+local data: [1024]int32
 local ptr: int32 = 0
 
 ##[=[

examples/condots.nelua

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ local SDL_Surface <cimport,nodecl> = @record{
   pitch: cint,
   pixels: pointer
 }
-local SDL_Event <cimport,nodecl> = @record{type: uint32, padding: byte[56]}
+local SDL_Event <cimport,nodecl> = @record{type: uint32, padding: [56]byte}
 local SDL_Rect <cimport,nodecl> = @record{x: cint, y: cint, w: cint, h: cint}
 local SDL_Window <cimport,nodecl> = @record{}
 local SDL_Renderer <cimport,nodecl> = @record{}
@@ -64,30 +64,30 @@ local SDL_TEXTUREACCESS_STREAMING: cint <cimport,nodecl>
 
 -- import SDL functions
 local function SDL_Init(flags: uint32): int32 <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_CreateWindow(title: cstring, x: cint, y: cint, w: cint, h: cint, flags: uint32): SDL_Window* <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_CreateWindow(title: cstring, x: cint, y: cint, w: cint, h: cint, flags: uint32): *SDL_Window <cimport,nodecl> end
 local function SDL_Quit() <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_DestroyWindow(window: SDL_Window*) <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_PollEvent(event: SDL_Event*): int32 <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_DestroyWindow(window: *SDL_Window) <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_PollEvent(event: *SDL_Event): int32 <cimport,nodecl> end
 local function SDL_GetTicks(): uint32 <cimport,nodecl> end
 local function SDL_Delay(ms: uint32) <cimport,nodecl> end
 local function SDL_CreateRGBSurfaceWithFormatFrom(pixels: pointer, width: cint,height: cint, depth: cint, pitch: cint,format: uint32): SDL_Surface <cimport,nodecl> end
 local function SDL_FreeSurface(surface: SDL_Surface) <cimport,nodecl> end
 local function SDL_LockSurface(surface: SDL_Surface) <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_GetWindowSurface(window: SDL_Window*): SDL_Surface <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_BlitSurface(src: SDL_Surface, srcrect: SDL_Rect*, dst: SDL_Surface, dstrect: SDL_Rect*): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_UpdateWindowSurface(window: SDL_Window*) <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_CreateRenderer(window: SDL_Window*, index: cint, flags: uint32): SDL_Renderer* <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_DestroyRenderer(renderer: SDL_Renderer*) <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_RenderPresent(renderer: SDL_Renderer*) <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_RenderClear(renderer: SDL_Renderer*) <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_CreateTexture(renderer: SDL_Renderer*, format: uint32, access: cint, w: cint, h: cint): SDL_Texture* <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_DestroyTexture(texture: SDL_Texture*) <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_RenderCopy(renderer: SDL_Renderer*, texture: SDL_Texture*, srcrect: SDL_Rect*, dstrect: SDL_Rect*): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_LockTexture(texture: SDL_Texture*, rect: SDL_Rect*, pixels: pointer*, pitch: cint*): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_UnlockTexture(texture: SDL_Texture*) <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_SetRenderDrawBlendMode(renderer: SDL_Renderer*, blendMode: int32): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_SetTextureBlendMode(texture: SDL_Texture*, blendMode: int32): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
-local function SDL_UpdateTexture(texture: SDL_Texture*, rect: SDL_Rect*, pixels: pointer, pitch: cint): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_GetWindowSurface(window: *SDL_Window): SDL_Surface <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_BlitSurface(src: SDL_Surface, srcrect: *SDL_Rect, dst: SDL_Surface, dstrect: *SDL_Rect): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_UpdateWindowSurface(window: *SDL_Window) <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_CreateRenderer(window: *SDL_Window, index: cint, flags: uint32): *SDL_Renderer <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_DestroyRenderer(renderer: *SDL_Renderer) <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_RenderPresent(renderer: *SDL_Renderer) <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_RenderClear(renderer: *SDL_Renderer) <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_CreateTexture(renderer: *SDL_Renderer, format: uint32, access: cint, w: cint, h: cint): *SDL_Texture <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_DestroyTexture(texture: *SDL_Texture) <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_RenderCopy(renderer: *SDL_Renderer, texture: *SDL_Texture, srcrect: *SDL_Rect, dstrect: *SDL_Rect): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_LockTexture(texture: *SDL_Texture, rect: *SDL_Rect, pixels: *pointer, pitch: *cint): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_UnlockTexture(texture: *SDL_Texture) <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_SetRenderDrawBlendMode(renderer: *SDL_Renderer, blendMode: int32): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_SetTextureBlendMode(texture: *SDL_Texture, blendMode: int32): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
+local function SDL_UpdateTexture(texture: *SDL_Texture, rect: *SDL_Rect, pixels: pointer, pitch: cint): cint <cimport,nodecl> end
 local function SDL_GetError(): cstring <cimport,nodecl> end
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -98,15 +98,15 @@ local window, renderer, texture
 
 local SCREEN_WIDTH <comptime> = 1280
 local SCREEN_HEIGHT <comptime> = 720
-local pixels: vec4b[SCREEN_WIDTH][SCREEN_HEIGHT]
+local pixels: [SCREEN_HEIGHT][SCREEN_WIDTH]vec4b
 
 local NUM_PARTICLES <comptime> = 200
 local RADIUS <comptime> = 3
 local MIN_DISTANCE <comptime> = 40
 local MAX_DISTANCE <comptime> = 80
 local MIN_DISTANCE2 <comptime> = MIN_DISTANCE * MIN_DISTANCE
 local MAX_DISTANCE2 <comptime> = MAX_DISTANCE * MAX_DISTANCE
-local particles: Particle[NUM_PARTICLES]
+local particles: [NUM_PARTICLES]Particle
 
 do
   for i=0,<NUM_PARTICLES do

examples/linkedlist.nelua

@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ local allocator: auto = general_allocator
 ## local make_list = generalize(function(T)
   local T = @#[T]#
   local ListNodeT <codename #['ListNode_'..T.codename]#> = @record {
-    prev: ListNodeT*,
-    next: ListNodeT*,
+    prev: *ListNodeT,
+    next: *ListNodeT,
     value: T
   }
 
-  local function new_node(prev: ListNodeT*, next: ListNodeT*, value: T): ListNodeT*
+  local function new_node(prev: *ListNodeT, next: *ListNodeT, value: T): *ListNodeT
     local node = allocator:new(@ListNodeT)
     node.prev = prev
     node.next = next
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ local allocator: auto = general_allocator
   end
 
   local ListT <codename #['List_'..T.codename]#> = @record{
-    head: ListNodeT*,
-    tail: ListNodeT*
+    head: *ListNodeT,
+    tail: *ListNodeT
   }
 
   function ListT:prepend(value: T)
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ local allocator: auto = general_allocator
     self.tail = node
   end
 
-  function ListT:find(value: T): ListNodeT*
+  function ListT:find(value: T): *ListNodeT
     local it = self.head
     while it do
       if it.value == value then
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ local allocator: auto = general_allocator
     return self:find(value) ~= nilptr
   end
 
-  function ListT:erase(node: ListNodeT*): ListNodeT*
+  function ListT:erase(node: *ListNodeT): *ListNodeT
     if node == self.head then
       self.head = node.next
     end

examples/mersenne.nelua

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ end
 
 -- generates a random number on [0, 0xffffffff]
 function mt19937:random_uint32()
-  local MAG01: uint32[2] = {0x0, 0x9908b0df}
+  local MAG01: [2]uint32 = {0x0, 0x9908b0df}
   local MASK = @enum(uint32) { LOWER = 0x7fffffff, UPPER = 0x80000000 }
   local N <comptime>, M <comptime> = MT19937_N, MT19937_M
   local y

examples/overview.nelua

@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ do -- Array
   local a: array(integer, 4) = {1,2,3,4}
   print(a[0], a[1], a[2], a[3]) -- outputs: 1 2 3 4
 
-  local b: integer[4] -- "integer[4]" is syntax sugar for "array(integer, 4)"
+  local b: [4]integer -- "[4]integer" is syntax sugar for "array(integer, 4)"
   print(b[0], b[1], b[2], b[3]) -- outputs: 0 0 0 0
 end
 
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ do -- Record
 end
 
 do -- Span
-  local arr = (@integer[4]) {1,2,3,4}
+  local arr = (@[4]integer) {1,2,3,4}
   local s: span(integer) = &arr
   print(s[0], s[1]) -- outputs: 1 2
   print(#s) -- outputs 4
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ end
 
 do -- Allocating memory
   local Person = @record{name: string, age: integer}
-  local p: Person* = general_allocator:new(@Person)
+  local p: *Person = general_allocator:new(@Person)
   p.name = "John"
   p.age = 20
   print(p.name, p.age)
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ do -- Mixing C code
   local function memset(s: pointer, c: int32, n: usize): pointer <cimport'memset',cinclude'<string.h>',nodecl> end
   local function free(ptr: pointer) <cimport'free',cinclude'<stdlib.h>',nodecl> end
 
-  local a = (@int64[10]*)(malloc(10 * 8))
+  local a = (@*[10]int64)(malloc(10 * 8))
   memset(a, 0, 10*8)
   assert(a[0] == 0)
   a[0] = 1

examples/record_inheretance.nelua

@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ end
 function Shape:area(): number
   switch self.kind
   case ShapeKind.Rectangle then
-    return Rectangle.area((@Rectangle*)(self))
+    return Rectangle.area((@*Rectangle)(self))
   case ShapeKind.Circle then
-    return Circle.area((@Circle*)(self))
+    return Circle.area((@*Circle)(self))
   else
     return 0
   end
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ do -- test it
   print('      rectangle area is', rectangle:area())
   print('         circle area is', circle:area())
 
-  local shape: Shape*
-  shape = (@Shape*)(&rectangle)
+  local shape: *Shape
+  shape = (@*Shape)(&rectangle)
   print('   circle shape area is', shape:area())
-  shape = (@Shape*)(&circle)
+  shape = (@*Shape)(&circle)
   print('rectangle shape area is', shape:area())
   print ''
 end
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ local function override()
   method(function()]]
     -- no problem to use ifs instead of switches because C compilers usually optimizes as a switch
     if self.__kind == #[rectype.kindid]# then
-      return (@#[rectype]#*)(self):#|name|#()
+      return (@*#[rectype]#)(self):#|name|#()
     end ##[[
   end)
 end
@@ -168,10 +168,10 @@ do -- test it
   print('      rectangle area is', rectangle:area())
   print('         circle area is', circle:area())
 
-  local shape: Shape*
-  shape = (@Shape*)(&rectangle)
+  local shape: *Shape
+  shape = (@*Shape)(&rectangle)
   print('   circle shape area is', shape:area())
-  shape = (@Shape*)(&circle)
+  shape = (@*Shape)(&circle)
   print('rectangle shape area is', shape:area())
   print ''
 end

examples/snakesdl.nelua

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ require 'math'
 -- import SDL structures
 local SDL_Event <cimport> = @record {
   type: uint32,
-  padding: byte[56]
+  padding: [56]byte
 }
 local SDL_Keysym <cimport> = @record {
   scancode: cint,
@@ -45,16 +45,16 @@ local SDL_RENDERER_PRESENTVSYNC <comptime> = 0x4
 
 -- import SDL functions
 local function SDL_Init(flags: uint32): int32 <cimport> end
-local function SDL_CreateWindow(title: cstring, x: cint, y: cint, w: cint, h: cint, flags: uint32): SDL_Window* <cimport> end
+local function SDL_CreateWindow(title: cstring, x: cint, y: cint, w: cint, h: cint, flags: uint32): *SDL_Window <cimport> end
 local function SDL_Quit() <cimport> end
-local function SDL_DestroyWindow(window: SDL_Window*) <cimport> end
-local function SDL_PollEvent(event: SDL_Event*): int32 <cimport> end
-local function SDL_CreateRenderer(window: SDL_Window*, index: cint, flags: uint32): SDL_Renderer* <cimport> end
-local function SDL_DestroyRenderer(renderer: SDL_Renderer*) <cimport> end
-local function SDL_RenderPresent(renderer: SDL_Renderer*) <cimport> end
-local function SDL_RenderClear(renderer: SDL_Renderer*) <cimport> end
-local function SDL_SetRenderDrawColor(renderer: SDL_Renderer*, r: uint8, g: uint8, b: uint8, a: uint8): cint <cimport> end
-local function SDL_RenderFillRect(renderer: SDL_Renderer*, rect: SDL_Rect*): cint <cimport> end
+local function SDL_DestroyWindow(window: *SDL_Window) <cimport> end
+local function SDL_PollEvent(event: *SDL_Event): int32 <cimport> end
+local function SDL_CreateRenderer(window: *SDL_Window, index: cint, flags: uint32): *SDL_Renderer <cimport> end
+local function SDL_DestroyRenderer(renderer: *SDL_Renderer) <cimport> end
+local function SDL_RenderPresent(renderer: *SDL_Renderer) <cimport> end
+local function SDL_RenderClear(renderer: *SDL_Renderer) <cimport> end
+local function SDL_SetRenderDrawColor(renderer: *SDL_Renderer, r: uint8, g: uint8, b: uint8, a: uint8): cint <cimport> end
+local function SDL_RenderFillRect(renderer: *SDL_Renderer, rect: *SDL_Rect): cint <cimport> end
 local function SDL_GetTicks(): uint32 <cimport> end
 
 -- game types
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ local quit = false
 local nextmove
 local score
 local headpos, tailpos, applepos
-local tiles: Direction[GRID_SIZE][GRID_SIZE]
+local tiles: [GRID_SIZE][GRID_SIZE]Direction
 
 local function move_point(pos: Point2D, dir: Direction)
   switch dir
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ local function poll_events()
     case SDL_QUIT then
       quit = true
     case SDL_KEYDOWN then
-      local kevent = (@SDL_KeyboardEvent*)(&event)
+      local kevent = (@*SDL_KeyboardEvent)(&event)
       local headdir = get_tile(headpos)
       switch kevent.keysym.sym
       case SDLK_UP then