stooop(n)         Simple Tcl Only Object Oriented Programming        stooop(n)



______________________________________________________________________________

NAME
       stooop - Object oriented extension.

SYNOPSIS
       package require Tcl  8.3

       package require stooop  ?4.4.1?

       ::stooop::class name body

       ::stooop::new class ?arg arg ...?

       ::stooop::delete object ?object ...?

       ::stooop::virtual proc name {this ?arg arg ...?} ?body?

       ::stooop::classof object

       ::stooop::new object

       ::stooop::printObjects ?pattern?

       ::stooop::record

       ::stooop::report ?pattern?

_________________________________________________________________

DESCRIPTION
       This package provides commands to extend Tcl in an object oriented
       manner, using a familiar C++ like syntax and behaviour. Stooop only
       introduces a few new commands: class, new, delete, virtual and classof.
       Along with a few coding conventions, that is basically all you need to
       know to use stooop. Stooop is meant to be as simple to use as possible.

       This manual is very succinct and is to be used as a quick reminder for
       the programmer, who should have read the thorough stooop_man.html HTML
       documentation at this point.

       ::stooop::class name body
              This command creates a class. The body, similar in contents to a
              Tcl namespace (which a class actually also is), contains member
              procedure definitions. Member procedures can also be defined
              outside the class body, by prefixing their name with class::, as
              you would proceed with namespace procedures.

              proc class {this ?arg arg ...?} ?base {?arg arg ...?} ...? body
                     This is the constructor procedure for the class. It is
                     invoked following a new invocation on the class. It must
                     have the same name as the class and a first argument
                     named this. Any number of base classes specifications,
                     including arguments to be passed to their constructor,
                     are allowed before the actual body of the procedure.

              proc ~class {this} body
                     This is the destructor procedure for the class. It is
                     invoked following a delete invocation. Its name must be
                     the concatenation of a single ~ character followed by the
                     class name (as in C++). It must have a single argument
                     named this.

              proc name {this ?arg arg ...?} body
                     This is a member procedure of the class, as its first
                     argument is named this. It allows a simple access of
                     member data for the object referenced by this inside the
                     procedure. For example:


                        set ($this,data) 0


              proc name {?arg arg ...?} body
                     This is a static (as in C++) member procedure of the
                     class, as its first argument is not named this. Static
                     (global) class data can be accessed as in:


                        set (data) 0


              proc class {this copy} body
                     This is the optional copy procedure for the class. It
                     must have the same name as the class and exactly 2
                     arguments named this and copy. It is invoked following a
                     new invocation on an existing object of the class.

       ::stooop::new class ?arg arg ...?
              This command is used to create an object. The first argument is
              the class name and is followed by the arguments needed by the
              corresponding class constructor. A unique identifier for the
              object just created is returned.

       ::stooop::delete object ?object ...?
              This command is used to delete one or several objects. It takes
              one or more object identifiers as argument(s).

       ::stooop::virtual proc name {this ?arg arg ...?} ?body?
              The virtual specifier may be used on member procedures to
              achieve dynamic binding. A procedure in a base class can then be
              redefined (overloaded) in the derived class(es). If the base
              class procedure is invoked on an object, it is actually the
              derived class procedure which is invoked, if it exists. If the
              base class procedure has no body, then it is considered to be a
              pure virtual and the derived class procedure is always invoked.

       ::stooop::classof object
              This command returns the class of the existing object passed as
              single parameter.

       ::stooop::new object
              This command is used to create an object by copying an existing
              object. The copy constructor of the corresponding class is
              invoked if it exists, otherwise a simple copy of the copied
              object data members is performed.

DEBUGGING
       Environment variables

              STOOOPCHECKDATA
                     Setting this variable to any true value will cause stooop
                     to check for invalid member or class data access.

              STOOOPCHECKPROCEDURES
                     Setting this variable to any true value will cause stooop
                     to check for invalid member procedure arguments and pure
                     interface classes instanciation.

              STOOOPCHECKALL
                     Setting this variable to any true value will cause stooop
                     to activate both procedure and data member checking.

              STOOOPCHECKOBJECTS
                     Setting this variable to any true value will cause stooop
                     to activate object checking. The following stooop
                     namespace procedures then become available for debugging:
                     printObjects, record and report.

              STOOOPTRACEPROCEDURES
                     Setting this environment variable to either stdout,
                     stderr or a file name, activates procedure tracing. The
                     stooop library will then output to the specified channel
                     1 line of informational text for each member procedure
                     invocation.

              STOOOPTRACEPROCEDURESFORMAT
                     Defines the trace procedures output format. Defaults to
                     "class: %C, procedure: %p, object: %O, arguments: %a".

              STOOOPTRACEDATA
                     Setting this environment variable to either stdout,
                     stderr or a file name, activates data tracing. The stooop
                     library will then output to the specified channel 1 line
                     of informational text for each member data access.

              STOOOPTRACEDATAFORMAT
                     Defines the trace data output format. Defaults to "class:
                     %C, procedure: %p, array: %A, object: %O, member: %m,
                     operation: %o, value: %v".

              STOOOPTRACEDATAOPERATIONS
                     When tracing data output, by default, all read, write and
                     unsetting accesses are reported, but the user can set
                     this variable to any combination of the letters r, w, and
                     u for more specific tracing (please refer to the trace
                     Tcl manual page for more information).

              STOOOPTRACEALL
                     Setting this environment variable to either stdout,
                     stderr or a file name, enables both procedure and data
                     tracing.

       ::stooop::printObjects ?pattern?
              Prints an ordered list of existing objects, in creation order,
              oldest first. Each output line contains the class name, object
              identifier and the procedure within which the creation occurred.
              The optional pattern argument (as in the Tcl string match
              command) can be used to limit the output to matching class
              names.

       ::stooop::record
              When invoked, a snapshot of all existing stooop objects is
              taken. Reporting can then be used at a later time to see which
              objects were created or deleted in the interval.

       ::stooop::report ?pattern?
              Prints the created and deleted objects since the
              ::stooop::record procedure was invoked last. If present, the
              pattern argument limits the output to matching class names.

EXAMPLES
       Please see the full HTML documentation in stooop_man.html.

BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK
       This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain
       bugs and other problems.  Please report such in the category stooop of
       the Tcllib SF Trackers
       [http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=12883].  Please also report
       any ideas for enhancements you may have for either package and/or
       documentation.

KEYWORDS
       C++, class, object, object oriented

CATEGORY
       Programming tools



stooop                               4.4.1                           stooop(n)
