Add range(start, stop) and range(start, stop, length)

NEWS.md

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ Standard library changes
 ------------------------
 
 * `count` and `findall` now accept an `AbstractChar` argument to search for a character in a string ([#38675]).
+* `range` now supports the `range(start, stop)` and `range(start, stop, length)` methods ([#39228]).
 * `range` now supports `start` as an optional keyword argument ([#38041]).
 * `islowercase` and `isuppercase` are now compliant with the Unicode lower/uppercase categories ([#38574]).
 * `iseven` and `isodd` functions now support non-`Integer` numeric types ([#38976]).

base/range.jl

@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ function _colon(start::T, step, stop::T) where T
 end
 
 """
+    range(start, stop, length)
     range(start, stop; length, step)
     range(start; length, stop, step)
     range(;start, length, stop, step)
@@ -96,34 +97,21 @@ julia> range(1, 3.5, step=2)
 Special care is taken to ensure intermediate values are computed rationally.
 To avoid this induced overhead, see the [`LinRange`](@ref) constructor.
 
-Both `start`  and `stop` may be specified as either a positional or keyword arguments.
-If both are specified as positional arguments, one of `step` or `length` must also be provided.
-
 !!! compat "Julia 1.1"
     `stop` as a positional argument requires at least Julia 1.1.
 
 !!! compat "Julia 1.7"
     `start` as a keyword argument requires at least Julia 1.7.
+
+!!! compat "Julia 1.7"
+    the versions without keyword arguments require at least Julia 1.7.
 """
 function range end
 
 range(start; stop=nothing, length::Union{Integer,Nothing}=nothing, step=nothing) =
     _range(start, step, stop, length)
-
-function range(start, stop; length::Union{Integer,Nothing}=nothing, step=nothing)
-    # For code clarity, the user must pass step or length
-    # See https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/pull/28708#issuecomment-420034562
-    if step === length === nothing
-        msg = """
-        Neither `step` nor `length` was provided. To fix this do one of the following:
-        * Pass one of them
-        * Use `$(start):$(stop)`
-        * Use `range($start, stop=$stop)`
-        """
-        throw(ArgumentError(msg))
-    end
-    _range(start, step, stop, length)
-end
+range(start, stop; length::Union{Integer,Nothing}=nothing, step=nothing) = _range(start, step, stop, length)
+range(start, stop, length::Integer) = _range(start, nothing, stop, length)
 
 range(;start=nothing, stop=nothing, length::Union{Integer, Nothing}=nothing, step=nothing) =
     _range(start, step, stop, length)

test/ranges.jl

@@ -14,9 +14,11 @@
         r = 4:9
         @test r === range(start=first(r), stop=last(r)                  )
         @test r === range(start=first(r),               length=length(r))
-        # the next one uses ==, because it changes the eltype
-        @test r  == range(start=first(r), stop=last(r), length=length(r))
         @test r === range(                stop=last(r), length=length(r))
+        @test r === range(first(r),       last(r))
+        # the next ones use ==, because it changes the eltype
+        @test r == range(first(r),       last(r),      length(r))
+        @test r == range(start=first(r), stop=last(r), length=length(r))
     end
 end