Provided by: tcllib_2.0+dfsg-4_all bug

NAME

       stooop - Object oriented extension.

SYNOPSIS

       package require Tcl 8.5 9

       package require stooop ?4.4.2?

       ::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 Trackers [http://core.tcl.tk/tcllib/reportlist].  Please
       also report any ideas for enhancements you may have for either package and/or documentation.

       When proposing code changes, please provide unified diffs, i.e the output of diff -u.

       Note  further  that  attachments  are strongly preferred over inlined patches. Attachments can be made by
       going to the Edit form of the ticket immediately after its creation, and then using the left-most  button
       in the secondary navigation bar.

KEYWORDS

       C++, class, object, object oriented

CATEGORY

       Programming tools

tcllib                                                4.4.2                                         stooop(3tcl)