language-dependent functions

[Matthias Clasen <clasen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have a problem with language-dependent functions as described
in the standard (purely from the theoretical pov, since jade doesn't
yet (?) implement them).

Clause 8.5.8.2.1.1 explains all the complicated details of 
collating-specification. I don't understand the details of how sorting
wrt to such a specification works (since I don't have access to ISO 9945-2)   
but it seems there is no function in the standard that can be used
to achieve such a sorting! The character comparison functions in clause
8.5.8.4 and 8.5.8.5 are said to use the current language, thus I assume
they use the collating-specification to obtain an ordering of chars. But
the string comparison functions in clause 8.5.9.6 are explicitly declared
to produce the lexicographic order wrt to the corresponding char comparison
functions. I guess sorting wrt to a collating-specification is more general
than lexicographic ordering, otherwise the whole complicated
collating-specification would seem pointless.  

The only function which makes explicit reference to the
collating-specification is string-equiv? in clause 8.5.9.5 but that is 
useless for sorting. 

Is this a bug in the standard, or have I overlooked something?


-- 
Matthias Clasen, 
Tel. 0761/203-5606
Email: clasen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Institut fuer Mathematik, Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet Freiburg


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