Sterno Classes

Command: ::Sterno::defClass

        ::Sterno::defClass name ?body?
Define a new class and return a command bound to the class. The class command becomes the identifier for the class and is used to invoke methods in the class. The form of a class command is: 
        $cmd class-method ?arg0? ?arg1? ...
Where class-method is any class method.

If name is not empty, then a command by that name is defined that is aliased to the actual class command. This allows for accessing the class through a predefined name rather than the dynamic class command name. If the class is deleted, the aliased command will also be deleted.

The optional body is evaluated to define the class, normally defining instance methods and fields. There is no requirement that all fields and methods be defined in the body. The method and field class methods can be called with the class command at any time to add new members.

This commands creates a class namespace that is a child of the ::Sterno namespace.

The following class-field is defined for each class:

The following standard class-methods are defined for each class:

Command ::Sterno::defLocalClass

        ::Sterno::defLocalClass name ?body?
Define a new class in the caller's namespace and return a command bound to the class. Local classes are useful because they are deleted when the defining namespace is deleted, making it possible to easily cleanup a collection of classes and their objects. Often, the namespace is a Sterno object.

Class-method: method

        $cmd method name args body
Define a new instance method name that will be defined in an object instantiated from this class. The args and body parameters are identical to proc. In fact, all method does is arrange for a procedure to be defined in the object's namespace when it is instantiated.

Class-method field

        $cmd field name ?value?
Define the a new instance field name. The field will be defined and set to the optional value in objects instantiated from this class. Array fields may not have values assigned to elements with the field method. Array elements maybe initialized in the construct method.

Class-method: new

        $cmd new ?arg0? ?arg1? ...
Create an object as an instance of this class and return a command associated with that object. All of the instance methods and fields that have been specified up to this point become members of the new object. If a method construct has been defined, it will be called to finish initialization of the object. The arguments arg0, arg1, etc are passed to construct.

Class-method: localNew

        $cmd localNew ?arg0? ?arg1? ...
Creates a new object that is an instance this class in the caller's namespace and return a command associated with that object. Local objects are useful because they are deleted when the defining namespace is deleted, making it possible to easily cleanup a collection of objects. Often, the namespace is another Sterno object.

Class-method: delete

        $cmd delete
Deletes the class and all of its objects.

Class-method: fget

        $cmd fget name
Returns the value of the class-field name.

Class-method: fset

        $cmd fset name
Sets the value of the class-field name to value