############################################################################
#
#	File:     longstr.icn
#
#	Subject:  Procedure to match longest string
#
#	Author:   Jerry Nowlin
#
#	Date:     June 1, 1991
#
############################################################################
#
#   This file is in the public domain.
#
############################################################################
#
#	Contributors:  Stephen B. Wampler, Kenneth Walker, Bob Alexander,
#                      and Richard E. Goerwitz
#
############################################################################
#
#	Version:  1.9
#
############################################################################
#
#  longstr(l,s,i,j) works like any(), except that instead of taking a
#  cset as its first argument, it takes instead a list or set of
#  strings (l).  Returns i + *x, where x is the longest string in l
#  for which match(x,s,i,j) succeeds.  Fails if no match occurs.
#
#  Defaults:
#      s     &subject
#      i     &pos if s is defaulted, otherwise 1
#      j     0
#
#  Errors:
#      The only manual error-checking that is done is to test l to
#      be sure it is, in fact, a list or set.  Errors such as non-
#      string members in l, and non-integer i/j parameters, are
#      caught by the normal Icon built-in string processing and sub-
#      scripting mechanisms.
#
############################################################################

procedure longstr(l,s,i,j)

    local elem, tmp_table
    static l_table
    initial l_table := table()

    #
    # No-arg invocation wipes out all static structures, and forces an
    # immediate garbage collection.
    #
    if (/l, /s) then {
	l_table := table()
	collect()		# do it NOW
	return			# return &null
    }

    #
    # Is l a list, set, or table?
    #
    type(l) == ("list"|"set"|"table") |
	stop("longstr:  list, set, or table expected (arg 1)")

    #
    # Sort l longest-to-shortest, and keep a copy of the resulting
    # structure in l_table[l] for later use.
    #
    if /l_table[l] := [] then {

	tmp_table := table()
	# keys = lengths of elements, values = elements
	every elem := !l do {
	    /tmp_table[*elem] := []
	    put(tmp_table[*elem], elem)
	}
	# sort by key; stuff values, in reverse order, into a list
	every put(l_table[l], !sort(tmp_table,3)[*tmp_table*2 to 2 by -2])

    }

    #
    # First element in l_table[l] to match is the longest match (it's
    # sorted longest-to-shortest, remember?).
    #
    return match(!l_table[l],s,i,j)

end