Function overloading casuses keyword conflict

[avidseeker]

real f(real keyword m) {return m*2;}
real f(real keyword n) {return n;}

write(f(m=2.0), f(n=3.0), file=stdout);

results in

write(f(m=2.0), f(n=3.0), file=stdout);
       ^
cannot call 'real f(real keyword n)' with parameter '(real m)'

despite having m,n as mandatory keyword parameters.

[johncbowman]

You misunderstand the use of keyword. First consider this example:

real f(real m) {return m*2;}
real f(real n) {return n;}
write(f(2.0), f(3.0), file=stdout);

The second function has the same signature as the first and therefore overrides (replaces) it. Adding keyword to these signatures forces the user to explicitly specify the argument name (in this case n, not m). Just like in mathematics, if you want to use two different functions having the same signature, you will need to distinguish them by giving them different names (like f and g).