ek9_remove_statements

Deletes a contiguous statement range from one method/function/operator body; answers status and edits[] (one DELETE per line), or conflicts[] (range-straddles-method-boundary, range-not-on-statement-boundary, removed-statement-declares-used-local, removal-is-a-replacement, range-empties-body).

Category: Editor · Compare: IntelliJ Cmd+Backspace delete-lines / LSP code action "Remove statements"

When to use it

'Delete these two statements inside the body' is one call with file, fromText and toText (the first and last line as written), or startLine:36, endLine:37 - the range must sit inside ONE method/function/operator body on statement boundaries. Use it to drop specific statements without a read + full-text rewrite (the second tool in a force-delete cleanup loop).

When not to use it

Removing an unused entry from the references block (not body statements) - use ek9_organize_references (often run AFTER this tool).
Removing the `<- rtn` return-value declaration (a signature change) - use ek9_change_signature; removing a class/record FIELD - use ek9_remove_field.
Moving a block to a new method rather than dropping it - use ek9_extract_method; removing a whole function/method by inlining it at call sites - use ek9_inline_function.
The range is NOT inside a body - use ek9_edit_file line-replace with empty replacement (references block, package metadata) or ek9_remove_comments (whole-line comment blocks); deleting the entire file - use ek9_delete_file.

Details

Range MUST stay within one body and align with statement boundaries. Conflict kinds: range-straddles-method-boundary (mechanical - narrow to one body; a WHOLE member goes through ek9_safe_delete), range-not-on-statement-boundary (mechanical - response carries the boundary-snapped range to re-issue), range-includes-return-value-declaration (use ek9_change_signature). Before any compile the removal CLOSURE is computed by symbol (a kept statement using a removed local goes too; so does a kept local whose every read is removed): one range that compiles is removed-statement-declares-used-local / removal-leaves-unread-local with that exact range in details; gaps or the whole body is removal-is-a-replacement (no widening compiles - the new statements go in with ek9_edit_file line-replace or ek9_insert_statements anchor:'replace'); range-empties-body when every statement goes and the return is not initialised. Statement extents are ANTLR-derived so comments and string literals never false-match; indentation and unrelated statements are preserved.

Arguments

Argument	Type	Required	What it is
`endLine`	integer		Or the last line to remove (1-based, inclusive). Must be inside the SAME body as startLine, must align with a statement boundary, must be >= startLine.
`file`	string	yes	Workspace-relative path to the .ek9 source file containing the target body.
`fromText`	string		The block's FIRST line exactly as written (indentation ignored) - instead of counting startLine. Must name one line; add more of it when it occurs twice.
`startLine`	integer		Or the first line to remove (1-based, inclusive) - an IDE selection. Must be inside a method/function/operator body and must align with a statement boundary.
`toText`	string		The block's LAST line as written - the first line matching it at or after fromText. Omit it for a one-line block.

It also takes the arguments every tool takes.

Recorded calls

Real calls, recorded against small projects and checked on every build - a changed answer fails it. 3 of the 6 recorded are shown.

Remove single statement apply

Request

{
  "endLine" : 8,
  "file" : "Hello.ek9",
  "startLine" : 8
}

Response

{
  "conflicts" : [ ],
  "edits" : [ {
    "before" : "      stdout.println(\"Removable\")",
    "endLine" : 8,
    "file" : "Hello.ek9",
    "startLine" : 8,
    "type" : "delete"
  } ],
  "meta" : {
    "serverMs" : "<timing>"
  },
  "resolvedPath" : "<workspace-root>/Hello.ek9",
  "risk" : {
    "crossesModuleBoundary" : false,
    "estimatedSeverity" : "trivial",
    "fileCount" : 1,
    "lineCount" : 1,
    "touchesPublicApi" : false,
    "touchesTests" : false
  },
  "status" : "applied",
  "summary" : "Removed statements 8-8 from com.example.hello::_main",
  "workspaceHash" : "<workspace-hash>",
...

Cut short here: 3 more lines. The whole recorded call.

Range empties body

Request

{
  "endLine" : 17,
  "file" : "task.ek9",
  "startLine" : 7
}

Response

{
  "conflicts" : [ {
    "kind" : "range-empties-body",
    "message" : "range 7-17 removes every statement of program 'Main' (declared on line 6), which has no initialised return to stand for a body - the removal would not compile (an implementation must be provided). To re-implement it: ek9_insert_statements(symbol:'Main', anchor:'replace', statements:[...]); to delete it: ek9_safe_delete(file, line:6)"
  } ],
  "edits" : [ ],
  "meta" : {
    "serverMs" : "<timing>"
  },
  "risk" : {
    "crossesModuleBoundary" : false,
    "estimatedSeverity" : "trivial",
    "fileCount" : 0,
    "lineCount" : 0,
    "touchesPublicApi" : false,
    "touchesTests" : false
  },
  "status" : "conflicts",
  "summary" : "Cannot remove statements 7-17 from coder.t9::_main — 1 conflict",
  "workspaceHash" : "<workspace-hash>",
  "wouldBeDiagnostics" : [ ],
  "written" : false
}

Range from declaration line refused

Request

{
  "endLine" : 21,
  "file" : "task.ek9",
  "startLine" : 16
}

Response

{
  "conflicts" : [ {
    "details" : "20-21",
    "kind" : "range-includes-signature",
    "message" : "range 16-21 starts above the body of 'public Order <- Order(customerName as String, total as Float)' (declared on line 16) - its statements are lines 20-21; removing line 16 would delete the declaration. To remove statements use a range inside 20-21; to delete the whole member use ek9_safe_delete(file, line:16)"
  } ],
  "edits" : [ ],
  "meta" : {
    "serverMs" : "<timing>"
  },
  "risk" : {
    "crossesModuleBoundary" : false,
    "estimatedSeverity" : "trivial",
    "fileCount" : 0,
    "lineCount" : 0,
    "touchesPublicApi" : false,
    "touchesTests" : false
  },
  "status" : "conflicts",
  "summary" : "Cannot remove statements 16-21 from coder.t11::Order — 1 conflict",
  "workspaceHash" : "<workspace-hash>",
  "wouldBeDiagnostics" : [ ],
  "written" : false
}