Comments on: The SPEC-OF an Object

Carl Sassenrath, CTO
REBOL Technologies
12-Nov-2010 5:31 GMT

Article #0350
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In R3, functions have "specs". These are interface and operational specifications. For example, arguments passed to a function, help strings, return values, exception handling, trace/profile controls, etc.

It is intended for objects (hence modules) to also accept a spec. This is one way to provide help strings for an object, enforce typing of the object's fields, along with other features.

The problem is: what should be done with specs when a sub-object is made. If we keep the spec, it would be nice to make it a reference, not a copy.

Then, there's the issue of mold: would all sub-objects mold the spec back or not?

So, it's not well defined. It may need to wait for post 3.0.0.



12-Nov-2010 12:45:32
If the spec of a sub-object is a reference, what happens when the parent-object is deleted or redefined?

Right now, spawning an object from another object creates an independent entity that can be molded, deleted, changed, etc without reference to the parent.

It sounds to me that trying to share a linear hierarchy of object specs would be less useful than the current independent spawning model.

Brian Hawley
12-Nov-2010 15:08:22
Selfless contexts also need a way to be specified in the object spec block, or else they can't mold properly.
Brian Hawley
13-Nov-2010 18:42:40
Sunanda, the spec could be shared without it being a problem if the parent is deleted. The sub-object would have a reference to the spec, not necessarily the parent itself. We don't have to worry about deletion because we have garbage collection. We don't have to worry about redefinition because it would be a new definition, not a change to the original. There is no reason to not have copy-on-write for specs. Remember, specs aren't the data part with the words and such; specs wouldn't really change much, for security reasons and because many of the settings in them could only be set at object creation time. We may even be able to get away with making specs read-only.

It looks like sub-objects should mold the spec back, as if they were created from scratch. Spec sharing is more of an internal issue, isn't it? Leave the full shared reference serialization issue to Rebin.

The other issue that needs to be considered is syntax.

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