Add `=` as default-value separator for named parameters.

docs/language/dartLangSpec.tex

 \documentclass{article}
 \usepackage{epsfig}
 \usepackage{color}
 \usepackage{dart}
 \usepackage{bnf}
 \usepackage{hyperref}
 \usepackage{lmodern}
 \newcommand{\code}[1]{{\sf #1}}
 \title{Dart Programming Language  Specification  \\
 {4th edition draft}\\
@@ skipping 723 matching lines @@
  %\end{grammar}
 
 \subsubsection{Optional Formals}
 \LMLabel{optionalFormals}
 
 \LMHash{}
 Optional parameters may be specified and provided with default values.
 
 \begin{grammar}
 {\bf defaultFormalParameter:}
-      normalFormalParameter ('=' expression)?
+      normalFormalParameter (`=' expression)?
     .
 
-{\bf defaultNamedParameter:}
+{\bf defaultNamedParameter:}normalFormalParameter (`=' expression)?;
       normalFormalParameter ( `{\escapegrammar :}' expression)?
     .
 \end{grammar}
 
+A {\bf defaultNamedParameter} on the form:
+\begin{code}
+   normalFormalParameter : expression
+\end{code}
+is equivalent to one on the form:
+\begin{code}
+   normalFormalParameter = expression
+\end{code}
+The colon-syntax is included only for backwards compatibility.
+It is deprecated and will be removed in a later version of the language specification.
+
 \LMHash{}
 It is a compile-time error if the default value of an optional parameter is not a compile-time constant (\ref{constants}). If no default is explicitly specified for an optional parameter an implicit default of \NULL{} is provided.
 
 \LMHash{}
 It is a compile-time error if the name of a named optional parameter begins with an `\_' character.
 
 \rationale{
 The need for this  restriction is a direct consequence of the fact that naming and privacy are not orthogonal.
 If we allowed named parameters to begin with an underscore, they would be considered private and inaccessible to callers from outside the library where it was defined. If a method outside the library overrode a method with a private optional name, it would not be a subtype of the original method. The static checker would of course flag such situations, but the consequence would be that adding a private named formal would break clients outside the library in a way they could not easily correct.
 }
@@ skipping 2381 matching lines @@
 \cd{\CLASS{} C$<$T$>$  \IMPLEMENTS{}  Future$<$C$<$C$<$T$>>>$ \ldots }
 
 Here, a naive definition of $flatten$ diverges; there is not even a fixed point. A more sophisticated definition of $flatten$ is possible, but the existing rule deals with most realistic examples while remaining relatively simple to understand.
 
 }
 
 
 \LMHash{}
 The static type of a function literal of the form
 
-$(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} : d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k} : d_k\}) => e$
+$(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} = d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k} = d_k\}) => e$
 is
 
 $(T_1 \ldots, T_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1}, \ldots, T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k}\}) \rightarrow T_0$, where $T_0$ is the static type of $e$.
 
 \LMHash{}
 The static type of a function literal of the form
 
-$(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} : d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k} : d_k\})$ \ASYNC{}  $=> e$
+$(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} = d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k} = d_k\})$ \ASYNC{}  $=> e$
 
 is $(T_1 \ldots, T_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1}, \ldots, T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k}\}) \rightarrow Future<flatten(T_0)>$, where $T_0$ is the static type of $e$.
 
 \LMHash{}
 The static type of a function literal of the form
 
 $(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, [T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} = d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k}= d_k])\{s\}$
 
 is $(T_1 \ldots, T_n, [T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1}, \ldots, T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k}]) \rightarrow  \DYNAMIC{}$.
 
@@ skipping 20 matching lines @@
 The static type of a function literal of the form
 
 $(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, [T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} = d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k}= d_k])\{s\}$
 
 is $(T_1 \ldots, T_n, [T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1}, \ldots, T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k}]) \rightarrow  \DYNAMIC{}$.
 
 
 \LMHash{}
 The static type of a function literal of the form
 
-$(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} : d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k} : d_k\})$ $\ASYNC{}$ $\{s\}$
+$(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} = d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k} = d_k\})$ $\ASYNC{}$ $\{s\}$
 
 is $(T_1 \ldots, T_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1}, \ldots, T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k}\}) \rightarrow  Future{}$.
 
 \LMHash{}
 The static type of a function literal of the form
 
-$(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} : d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k} : d_k\})$ $\ASYNC*{}$ $\{s\}$
+$(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} = d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k} = d_k\})$ $\ASYNC*{}$ $\{s\}$
 
 is $(T_1 \ldots, T_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1}, \ldots, T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k}\}) \rightarrow  Stream{}$.
 
 \LMHash{}
 The static type of a function literal of the form
 
-$(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} : d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k} : d_k\})$ $\SYNC*{}$ $\{s\}$
+$(T_1$ $a_1, \ldots, T_n$ $a_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1} = d_1, \ldots,  T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k} = d_k\})$ $\SYNC*{}$ $\{s\}$
 
 is $(T_1 \ldots, T_n, \{T_{n+1}$ $x_{n+1}, \ldots, T_{n+k}$ $x_{n+k}\}) \rightarrow  Iterable{}$.
 
 \LMHash{}
 In all of the above cases, whenever $T_i, 1 \le i \le n+k$, is not specified, it is considered to have been specified as  \DYNAMIC{}.
 
 
 \subsection{ This}
 \LMLabel{this}
 
@@ skipping 625 matching lines @@
 \LMHash{}
 If  $n < h$, or $n > m$, the method lookup has failed. Furthermore, each $x_i, n+1 \le i \le n+k$,  must have a corresponding named parameter in the set $\{p_{m+1}, \ldots, p_{h+l}\}$ or the method lookup also fails.  If $v_o$ is an instance of \code{Type} but $o$ is not a constant type literal, then if $m$ is a method that forwards (\ref{functionDeclarations}) to a static method, method lookup fails. Otherwise method lookup has succeeded.
 
 \LMHash{}
 If the method lookup succeeded, the body of $f$ is executed with respect to the bindings that resulted from the evaluation of the argument list, and with \THIS{} bound to $v_o$. The value of $i$ is the value returned after $f$ is executed.
 
 \LMHash{}
 If the method lookup has failed, then let $g$ be the result of looking up getter (\ref{getterAndSetterLookup}) $m$ in $v_o$ with respect to $L$.
 If $v_o$ is an instance of \code{Type} but $o$ is not a constant type literal, then if $g$ is a getter that forwards to a static getter, getter lookup fails.
 If the getter lookup succeeded, let $v_g$ be the value of the getter invocation $o.m$. Then the value of $i$ is the result of invoking
-the static method \code{Function.apply()} with arguments $v.g, [o_1, \ldots , o_n], \{x_{n+1}: o_{n+1}, \ldots , x_{n+k}: o_{n+k}\}$.
+the static method \code{Function.apply()} with arguments $v.g, [o_1, \ldots , o_n], \{\#x_{n+1}: o_{n+1}, \ldots , \#x_{n+k}: o_{n+k}\}$.
 
 \LMHash{}
-If  getter lookup has also failed, then a new instance $im$  of the predefined class  \code{Invocation}  is created, such that :
+If getter lookup has also failed, then a new instance $im$ of the predefined class \code{Invocation} is created, such that:
 \begin{itemize}
 \item  \code{im.isMethod} evaluates to \code{\TRUE{}}.
 \item  \code{im.memberName} evaluates to the symbol \code{m}.
-\item \code{im.positionalArguments} evaluates to an immutable list with the same values as  \code{[$o_1, \ldots, o_n$]}.
-\item \code{im.namedArguments} evaluates to an immutable map with the same keys and values as \code{\{$x_{n+1}: o_{n+1}, \ldots, x_{n+k} : o_{n+k}$\}}.
+\item \code{im.positionalArguments} evaluates to an immutable list with the same values as \code{[$o_1, \ldots, o_n$]}.
+\item \code{im.namedArguments} evaluates to an immutable map with the same keys and values as \code{\{$\#x_{n+1}: o_{n+1}, \ldots, \#x_{n+k} : o_{n+k}$\}}.
 \end{itemize}
 
 \LMHash{}
 Then the method \code{noSuchMethod()} is looked up in $v_o$ and invoked with argument $im$, and the result of this invocation is the result of evaluating $i$. However, if the implementation found cannot be invoked with a single positional argument, the implementation  of \code{noSuchMethod()} in class \code{Object} is invoked on $v_o$ with argument $im'$, where $im'$ is an instance of \code{Invocation} such that :
 \begin{itemize}
 \item  \code{im'.isMethod} evaluates to \code{\TRUE{}}.
 \item  \code{im'.memberName} evaluates to \code{\#noSuchMethod}.
 \item \code{im'.positionalArguments} evaluates to an immutable list whose sole element is  $im$.
 \item \code{im'.namedArguments} evaluates to the value of \code{\CONST{} \{\}}.
 \end{itemize}
@@ skipping 72 matching lines @@
 Let $p_1 \ldots p_h$ be the required parameters of $f$,  let $p_1 \ldots p_m$ be the positional parameters of $f$ and let $p_{h+1}, \ldots, p_{h+l}$ be the optional parameters declared by $f$.
 
 \LMHash{}
 If  $n < h$, or $n > m$, the method lookup has failed. Furthermore, each $x_i, n+1 \le i \le n+k$,  must have a corresponding named parameter in the set $\{p_{m+1}, \ldots, p_{h+l}\}$ or the method lookup also fails.  Otherwise method lookup has succeeded.
 
 \LMHash{}
 If the method lookup succeeded, the body of $f$ is executed with respect to the bindings that resulted from the evaluation of the argument list, and with \THIS{} bound to the current value of \THIS{}. The value of $i$ is the value returned after $f$ is executed.
 
 \LMHash{}
 If the method lookup has failed, then let $g$ be the result of looking up getter (\ref{getterAndSetterLookup}) $m$ in $S_{dynamic}$ with respect to $L$. If the getter lookup succeeded, let $v_g$ be the value of the getter invocation $\SUPER{}.m$. Then the value of $i$ is the result of invoking
-the static method \code{Function.apply()} with arguments $v_g, [o_1, \ldots , o_n], \{x_{n+1}: o_{n+1}, \ldots , x_{n+k}: o_{n+k}\}$.
+the static method \code{Function.apply()} with arguments $v_g, [o_1, \ldots , o_n], \{x_{n+1} = o_{n+1}, \ldots , x_{n+k} = o_{n+k}\}$.
 
 \LMHash{}
 If  getter lookup has also failed, then a new instance $im$  of the predefined class  \code{Invocation}  is created, such that :
 \begin{itemize}
 \item  \code{im.isMethod} evaluates to \code{\TRUE{}}.
 \item  \code{im.memberName} evaluates to the symbol \code{m}.
 \item \code{im.positionalArguments} evaluates to an immutable list with the same  values as  \code{[$o_1, \ldots, o_n$]}.
-\item \code{im.namedArguments} evaluates to an immutable map with the same keys and values as \code{\{$x_{n+1}: o_{n+1}, \ldots, x_{n+k} : o_{n+k}$\}}.
+\item \code{im.namedArguments} evaluates to an immutable map with the same keys and values as \code{\{$\#x_{n+1}: o_{n+1}, \ldots, \#x_{n+k} : o_{n+k}$\}}.
 \end{itemize}
 Then the method \code{noSuchMethod()} is looked up in $S_{dynamic}$ and invoked on \THIS{} with argument $im$, and the result of this invocation is the result of evaluating $i$. However, if the implementation found cannot be invoked with a single positional argument, the implementation  of \code{noSuchMethod()} in class \code{Object} is invoked on \THIS{} with argument $im'$, where $im'$ is an instance of \code{Invocation} such that :
 \begin{itemize}
 \item  \code{im'.isMethod} evaluates to \code{\TRUE{}}.
 \item  \code{im'.memberName} evaluates to \code{\#noSuchMethod}.
 \item \code{im'.positionalArguments} evaluates to an immutable list whose sole element is  $im$.
 \item \code{im'.namedArguments} evaluates to the value of \code{\CONST{} \{\}}.
 \end{itemize}
 
 and the result of this latter invocation is the result of evaluating $i$.
@@ skipping 284 matching lines @@
 \LMHash{}
 Let $o$ be an object, and let $u$ be a fresh final variable bound to $o$.
 The {\em closurization of method $f$ on object $o$} is defined to be equivalent to:
 \begin{itemize}
 \item $(a) \{\RETURN{}$ $u$ $op$ $a;$\} if $f$ is named $op$ and $op$ is one of  \code{$<$, $>$, $<$=, $>$=, ==,  -, +, /, \~{}/, *, \%, $|$, \^{}, \&, $<<$, $>>$} (this precludes closurization of unary -).
 \item $() \{\RETURN{}$ \~{} $u;$\} if $f$ is named \~{}.
 \item $(a) \{\RETURN{}$ $u[a];$\} if $f$ is named $[]$.
 \item $(a, b) \{\RETURN{}$ $u[a] = b;$\} if $f$ is named $[]=$.
 \item
 \begin{dartCode}
-$(r_1, \ldots, r_n, \{p_1 : d_1, \ldots , p_k : d_k\})$ \{
+$(r_1, \ldots, r_n, \{p_1 = d_1, \ldots , p_k = d_k\})$ \{
   \RETURN{} $ u.m(r_1, \ldots, r_n, p_1: p_1, \ldots, p_k: p_k);$
 \}
 \end{dartCode}
 if $f$ is named $m$ and has required parameters $r_1, \ldots, r_n$, and named parameters $p_1, \ldots, p_k$ with defaults $d_1, \ldots, d_k$.
 \item
 \begin{dartCode}
 $(r_1, \ldots, r_n, [p_1 = d_1, \ldots , p_k = d_k])$\{
   \RETURN{} $u.m(r_1, \ldots, r_n, p_1, \ldots, p_k)$;
 \}
 \end{dartCode}
@@ skipping 29 matching lines @@
 
 
 \subsubsection{Named Constructor Closurization}
 \LMLabel{namedConstructorClosurization}
 
 \LMHash{}
 The {\em closurization of constructor $f$ of type $T$} is defined to be equivalent to:
 \begin{itemize}
 \item
 \begin{dartCode}
-$(r_1, \ldots, r_n, \{p_1 : d_1, \ldots , p_k : d_k\})$ \{
+$(r_1, \ldots, r_n, \{p_1 = d_1, \ldots , p_k = d_k\})$ \{
   \RETURN{} \NEW{} $T.m(r_1, \ldots, r_n, p_1: p_1, \ldots, p_k: p_k);$
 \}
 \end{dartCode}
 
 if $f$ is a named constructor with name $m$ that has required parameters $r_1, \ldots, r_n$, and named parameters $p_1, \ldots, p_k$ with defaults $d_1, \ldots, d_k$.
 \item
 \begin{dartCode}
 $(r_1, \ldots, r_n, [p_1 = d_1, \ldots , p_k = d_k])$\{
   \RETURN{} \NEW{} $T.m(r_1, \ldots, r_n, p_1, \ldots, p_k)$;
 \}
@@ skipping 10 matching lines @@
 }
 
 \subsubsection{Anonymous Constructor Closurization}
 \LMLabel{anonymousConstructorClosurization}
 
 \LMHash{}
 The {\em closurization of anonymous constructor $f$ of type $T$} is defined to be equivalent to:
 \begin{itemize}
 \item
 \begin{dartCode}
-$(r_1, \ldots, r_n, \{p_1 : d_1, \ldots , p_k : d_k\})$ \{
+$(r_1, \ldots, r_n, \{p_1 = d_1, \ldots , p_k = d_k\})$ \{
   \RETURN{} \NEW{} $T(r_1, \ldots, r_n, p_1: p_1, \ldots, p_k: p_k);$
 \}
 \end{dartCode}
 
 if $f$ is an anonymous constructor that has required parameters $r_1, \ldots, r_n$, and named parameters $p_1, \ldots, p_k$ with defaults $d_1, \ldots, d_k$.
 \item
 \begin{dartCode}
 $(r_1, \ldots, r_n, [p_1 = d_1, \ldots , p_k = d_k])$\{
   \RETURN{} \NEW{} $T(r_1, \ldots, r_n, p_1, \ldots, p_k)$;
 \}
@@ skipping 13 matching lines @@
 The {\em closurization of method $f$ with respect to superclass $S$} is defined to be equivalent to:
 
 \LMHash{}
 \begin{itemize}
 \item $(a) \{\RETURN{}$ \SUPER{} $op$ $a;$\} if $f$ is named $op$ and $op$ is one of  \code{$<$, $>$, $<$=, $>$=, ==,  -, +, /, \~{}/, *, \%, $|$, \^{}, \&, $<<$, $>>$}.
 \item $() \{\RETURN{}$ \~{}\SUPER;\} if $f$ is named \~{}.
 \item $(a) \{\RETURN{}$ $\SUPER[a];$\} if $f$ is named $[]$.
 \item $(a, b) \{\RETURN{}$ $\SUPER[a] = b;$\} if $f$ is named $[]=$.
 \item
 \begin{dartCode}
-$(r_1, \ldots, r_n, \{p_1 : d_1, \ldots , p_k : d_k\})$ \{
+$(r_1, \ldots, r_n, \{p_1 = d_1, \ldots , p_k = d_k\})$ \{
   \RETURN{} \SUPER$.m(r_1, \ldots, r_n, p_1: p_1, \ldots, p_k: p_k);$
 \}
 \end{dartCode}
 if $f$ is named $m$ and has required parameters $r_1, \ldots, r_n$, and named parameters $p_1, \ldots, p_k$ with defaults $d_1, \ldots, d_k$.
 \item
 \begin{dartCode}
 $(r_1, \ldots, r_n, [p_1 = d_1, \ldots , p_k = d_k])$\{
   \RETURN{} \SUPER$.m(r_1, \ldots, r_n, p_1, \ldots, p_k)$;
 \}
 \end{dartCode}
@@ skipping 3499 matching lines @@
 
 The invariant that each normative paragraph is associated with a line
 containing the text \LMHash{} should be maintained.  Extra occurrences
 of \LMHash{} can be added if needed, e.g., in order to make
 individual \item{}s in itemized lists addressable.  Each \LM.. command
 must occur on a separate line.  \LMHash{} must occur immediately
 before the associated paragraph, and \LMLabel must occur immediately
 after the associated \section{}, \subsection{} etc.
 
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