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Declarative Programming using Nested Structures

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In this chapter we are going to learn how to build declarative programming world using nested structures on the top of object oriented.

We will learn about

  • Creating Objects inside Lists
  • Composition and Returning Objects and Lists by Reference
  • Executing code after the end of object access
  • Declarative Programming on the top of Object-Oriented

Creating Objects inside Lists

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We can create objects inside lists during list definition. Also we can add objects to the list at any time using the Add() function or the + operator.

Example: 

	alist = [new point, new point, new point]	# create list contains three objects 

	alist + [1,2,3]					# add another item to the list

	see "Item 4 is a list contains 3 items" + nl
	see alist[4] 

	add(alist , new point)
	alist + new point

	alist[5] { x = 100 y = 200 z = 300 }
	alist[6] { x = 50 y = 150 z = 250 }

	see "Object inside item 5" + nl
	see alist[5]
	see "Object inside item 6" + nl
	see alist[6]

	class point x y z

Output: 

	Item 4 is a list contains 3 items
	1
	2
	3
	Object inside item 5
	x: 100.000000
	y: 200.000000
	z: 300.000000
	Object inside item 6
	x: 50.000000
	y: 150.000000
	z: 250.000000

Composition and Returning Objects and Lists by Reference

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When we use composition and have object as one of the class attributes, when we return that object it will be returned by reference.

if the called used the assignment operator, another copy of the object will be created.

The caller can avoid using the assignment operator and use the returned reference directly to access the object.

The same is done also if the attribute is a list (not object).

.. note:: Objects and Lists are treated using the same rules. When you pass them to function they are passed by reference, when you return them from functions they are returned by value except if it's an object attribute where a return by reference will be done.

Example: 

	o1 = new Container
	myobj = o1.addobj()	# the assignment will create another copy
	myobj.x = 100
	myobj.y = 200
	myobj.z = 300
	see o1.aobjs[1]		# print the object inside the container	
	see myobj		# print the copy

	Class Container
		aObjs = []
		func addobj
			aobjs + new point
			return aobjs[len(aobjs)]	# return object by reference

	Class point 
		x  = 10
		y  = 20
		z  = 30

Output: 

	x: 10.000000
	y: 20.000000
	z: 30.000000
	x: 100.000000
	y: 200.000000
	z: 300.000000

Example(2): 

	func main
		o1 = new screen  {
			content[point()] { 
				x = 100 
				y = 200
				z = 300		
			}
			content[point()] { 
				x = 50 
				y = 150
				z = 250		
			}
		}
		see o1.content[1]
		see o1.content[2]

	Class Screen
		content = []
		func point
			content + new point
			return len(content)

	Class point 
		x  = 10
		y  = 20
		z  = 30

Output: 

	x: 100.000000
	y: 200.000000
	z: 300.000000
	x: 50.000000
	y: 150.000000
	z: 250.000000

Example(3): 

	func main
		o1 = New Screen  {
			point() { 		# access the object using reference 
				x = 100 
				y = 200
				z = 300		
			}
			point() { 		# access the object using reference 
				x = 50 
				y = 150
				z = 250		
			}
		}
		see o1.content[1]		
		see o1.content[2]

	Class Screen
		content = []
		func point
			content + new point
			return content[len(content)]	# return the object by reference

	Class point x=10 y=20 z=30

Output: 

	x: 100.000000
	y: 200.000000
	z: 300.000000
	x: 50.000000
	y: 150.000000
	z: 250.000000

Executing code after the end of object access

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We can access an object using { } to use object attributes and methods.

if the object contains a method called BraceEnd(), it will be executed before the end of the object access.

Example: 

	New Point { See "How are you?" + nl }

	Class Point x y z
		func braceend
			see "I'm fine, Thank you!" + nl

Output: 

	How are you?
	I'm fine, Thank you!

Declarative Programming on the top of Object-Oriented

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The next features enable us to build and use declarative programming environment using nested structures on the top of object oriented

  • using {} to access the object attributes and methods
  • BraceEnd() Method
  • returning objects by reference
  • Setter/Getter Methods (optional)

Example: 

	# Declartive Programming (Nested Structures)

	Screen() 
	{

		point() 
		{ 			
			x = 100 
			y = 200
			z = 300		
		}

		point() 
		{ 			 
			x = 50 
			y = 150
			z = 250		
		}
	}

	# Functions and Classes

	Func screen return new screen

	Class Screen

		content = []

		func point
			content + new point
			return content[len(content)]	

		func braceend
			see "I have " + len(content) + " points!"

	Class point 

		x=10 y=20 z=30

		func braceend		
			see self

Output: 

	x: 100.000000
	y: 200.000000
	z: 300.000000
	x: 50.000000
	y: 150.000000
	z: 250.000000
	I have 2 points!

More beautiful Code

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We can get better results and a more beautiful code when we can avoid writing () after the method name when the methods doesn't take parameters. This feature is not provided directly by the Ring language because there is a difference between object methods and object attributes. We can get a similar effect on the syntax of the code when we define a getter method for the object attribute. For example instead of defining the point() method. we will define the point attribute then the getpoint() method that will be executed once you try to get the value of the point attribute. since we write the variable name direcly without () we can write point instead of point() and the method getpoint() will create the object and return the object reference for us.

Example: 

	new Container 
	{
		Point 
		{ 
			x=10 
			y=20 
			z=30 
		}
	}

	Class Container
		aObjs = []
		point
		func getpoint
			aObjs + new Point
			return aObjs[len(aObjs)]

	Class Point x y z
		func braceend
			see "3D Point" + nl + x + nl + y + nl + z + nl

Output 

	3D Point
	10
	20
	30


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