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Scoping constructs Block, Module, ModuleBlock violate principle of

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg111100] Scoping constructs Block, Module, ModuleBlock violate principle of
• From: Michael <michael2718 at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 03:44:03 -0400 (EDT)

This statement yields unexpected behavior:

DynamicModule[{n = 7},
  Row[{n, Button["X", --n; Print[n]]}]
  ]

Why doesn't the "n" that appears as the first element in Row[] change 
when I click on the button?  The Print[] statement clearly shows it is 
being decremented.  I can look at "n" outside of the DynamicModule[] and 
see that it is not defined, so Button[] can't be working with a 
different "n" than Row is trying to display, can it?


n2=7;
Dynamic[
  Row[{n2, Button["X", --n2; Print[n2]]}]
  ]


This behaves as expected, but I need localization and this doesn't 
provide it.  Ok, I will use a Block[].  But wait...

Block[{n3 = 7},
  Dynamic[
   Row[{n3, Button["X", --n3; Print[n3]]}]
   ]
  ]

Mathematica highlights n3 in Red, and n3 appears to lose its value 
inside the Dynamic.  I have looked, but I can't find anything in the 
documentation for Block[] or Dynamic[] suggesting this sort of behavior.

Ok, how about a Module[] instead of a Block[]?

Module[{n3 = 7},
  Dynamic[
   Row[{n3, Button["X", --n3; Print[n3]]}]
   ]
  ]

This works fine.  So why doesn't DynamicModule[] work???  There is also 
another problem with this approach.  I might want to define a more 
complex interface than just a button:

f[x_] := Button[x, --n3; Print[n3]]
Module[{n3 = 7},
  Dynamic[
   Row[{n3, f["X"]}]
   ]
  ]

This is why I wanted to use Block[] or even DynamicModule[], because 
then f[] would see n3 in the context of the Block.  But since Module[] 
creates internally some name like n3$1, f[] can't see it.

I'm using Version 7.

What's going on here?  Any suggestions on how I can accomplish what 
seemed like any easy task but wound up eating up my entire evening with 
nothing to show for it?

Thanks,

Michael

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Scoping constructs Block, Module, ModuleBlock violate principle of
    • From: Patrick Scheibe <pscheibe@trm.uni-leipzig.de>