WIP: implement f.(args...) as a synonym for broadcast(f, args...)

NEWS.md

@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@ Julia v0.5.0 Release Notes
 New language features
 ---------------------
 
-  * Generator expressions, e.g. `f(i) for i in 1:n` (#4470). This returns an iterator
+  * Generator expressions, e.g. `f(i) for i in 1:n` ([#4470]). This returns an iterator
     that computes the specified values on demand.
 
+  * Broadcasting syntax: ``f.(args...)`` is equivalent to ``broadcast(f, args...)`` ([#15032]).
+
   * Macro expander functions are now generic, so macros can have multiple definitions
     (e.g. for different numbers of arguments, or optional arguments) ([#8846], [#9627]).
     However note that the argument types refer to the syntax tree representation, and not
@@ -20,6 +22,8 @@ New language features
 
   * `PROGRAM_FILE` global is now available for determining the name of the running script ([#14114]).
 
+  * The syntax `x.:sym` (e.g. `Base.:+`) is now supported, and `x.(:sym)` is deprecated ([#15032]).
+
 Language changes
 ----------------
 
@@ -181,6 +185,7 @@ Deprecated or removed
 <!--- generated by NEWS-update.jl: -->
 [#4163]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/4163
 [#4211]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/4211
+[#4470]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/4470
 [#6190]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/6190
 [#8036]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/8036
 [#8846]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/8846
@@ -211,11 +216,12 @@ Deprecated or removed
 [#14469]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/14469
 [#14759]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/14759
 [#14798]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/14798
+[#15032]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/15032
 [#15192]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/15192
 [#15242]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/15242
 [#15258]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/15258
 [#15409]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/15409
-[#15430]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/15431
+[#15431]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/15431
 [#15550]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/15550
 [#15609]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/15609
 [#15763]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/15763

base/REPLCompletions.jl

@@ -251,8 +251,8 @@ function get_value(sym::Expr, fn)
     end
     fn, true
 end
-get_value(sym::Symbol, fn) = isdefined(fn, sym) ? (fn.(sym), true) : (nothing, false)
-get_value(sym::QuoteNode, fn) = isdefined(fn, sym.value) ? (fn.(sym.value), true) : (nothing, false)
+get_value(sym::Symbol, fn) = isdefined(fn, sym) ? (getfield(fn, sym), true) : (nothing, false)
+get_value(sym::QuoteNode, fn) = isdefined(fn, sym.value) ? (getfield(fn, sym.value), true) : (nothing, false)
 get_value(sym, fn) = sym, true
 
 # Return the value of a getfield call expression
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ function get_type_call(expr::Expr)
     f_name = expr.args[1]
     # The if statement should find the f function. How f is found depends on how f is referenced
     if isa(f_name, TopNode)
-        ft = typeof(Base.(f_name.name))
+        ft = typeof(getfield(Base, f_name.name))
         found = true
     else
         ft, found = get_type(f_name, Main)
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ function completions(string, pos)
                 end
             end
         end
-        ffunc = (mod,x)->(isdefined(mod, x) && isa(mod.(x), Module))
+        ffunc = (mod,x)->(isdefined(mod, x) && isa(getfield(mod, x), Module))
         comp_keywords = false
     end
     startpos == 0 && (pos = -1)

base/deprecated.jl

@@ -1093,6 +1093,24 @@ end
 #15995
 @deprecate symbol Symbol
 
+#15032: Expressions like Base.(:+) now call broadcast.  Since calls
+#       to broadcast(x, ::Symbol) are unheard of, and broadcast(x, ::Integer)
+#       are unlikely, we can treat these as deprecated getfield calls.
+function broadcast(x::Any, i::Union{Integer,Symbol})
+    depwarn("x.(i) is deprecated; use getfield(x, i) instead.", :broadcast)
+    getfield(x, i)
+end
+# clearer to be more explicit in the warning for the Module case
+function broadcast(m::Module, s::Symbol)
+    depwarn("$m.(:$s) is deprecated; use $m.:$s or getfield($m, :$s) instead.", :broadcast)
+    getfield(m, s)
+end
+# expressions like f.(3) should still call broadcast for f::Function,
+# and in general broadcast should work for scalar arguments, while
+# getfield is certainly not intended for the case of f::Function.
+broadcast(f::Function, i::Integer) = invoke(broadcast, (Function, Number), f, i)
+
+#16167
 macro ccallable(def)
     depwarn("@ccallable requires a return type", Symbol("@ccallable"))
     if isa(def,Expr) && (def.head === :(=) || def.head === :function)