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rhaj/_archive/rhai_engine/rhaibook/language/object-maps.md
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Object Maps
===========
{{#include ../links.md}}
```admonish tip.side "Safety"
Always limit the [maximum size of object maps].
```
Object maps are hash dictionaries. Properties are all [`Dynamic`] and can be freely added and retrieved.
The Rust type of a Rhai object map is `rhai::Map`.
Currently it is an alias to `BTreeMap<SmartString, Dynamic>`.
[`type_of()`] an object map returns `"map"`.
Object maps are disabled via the [`no_object`] feature.
~~~admonish tip "Tip: Object maps are _FAST_"
Normally, when [properties][getters/setters] are accessed, copies of the data values are made.
This is normally slow.
Object maps have special treatment &ndash; properties are accessed via _references_, meaning that
no copies of data values are made.
This makes object map access fast, especially when deep within a properties chain.
```rust
// 'obj' is a normal custom type
let x = obj.a.b.c.d;
// The above is equivalent to:
let a_value = obj.a; // temp copy of 'a'
let b_value = a_value.b; // temp copy of 'b'
let c_value = b_value.c; // temp copy of 'c'
let d_value = c_value.d; // temp copy of 'd'
let x = d_value;
// 'map' is an object map
let x = map.a.b.c.d; // direct access to 'd'
// 'a', 'b' and 'c' are not copied
map.a.b.c.d = 42; // directly modifies 'd' in 'a', 'b' and 'c'
// no copy of any property value is made
map.a.b.c.d.calc(); // directly calls 'calc' on 'd'
// no copy of any property value is made
```
~~~
~~~admonish question.small "TL;DR: Why `SmartString`?"
[`SmartString`] is used because most object map properties are short (at least shorter than 23 characters)
and ASCII-based, so they can usually be stored inline without incurring the cost of an allocation.
~~~
~~~admonish question.small "TL;DR: Why `BTreeMap` and not `HashMap`?"
The vast majority of object maps contain just a few properties.
`BTreeMap` performs significantly better than `HashMap` when the number of entries is small.
~~~
Literal Syntax
--------------
Object map literals are built within braces `#{` ... `}` with _name_`:`_value_ pairs separated by
commas `,`:
> `#{` _property_ `:` _value_`,` ... `,` _property_ `:` _value_ `}`
>
> `#{` _property_ `:` _value_`,` ... `,` _property_ `:` _value_ `,` `}` `// trailing comma is OK`
The property _name_ can be a simple identifier following the same naming rules as [variables],
or a [string literal][literals] without interpolation.
Property Access Syntax
----------------------
### Dot notation
The _dot notation_ allows only property names that follow the same naming rules as [variables].
> _object_ `.` _property_
### Elvis notation
The [_Elvis notation_][elvis] is similar to the _dot notation_ except that it returns [`()`] if the object
itself is [`()`].
> `// returns () if object is ()`
> _object_ `?.` _property_
>
> `// no action if object is ()`
> _object_ `?.` _property_ `=` _value_ `;`
### Index notation
The _index notation_ allows setting/getting properties of arbitrary names (even the empty [string]).
> _object_ `[` _property_ `]`
Handle Non-Existent Properties
------------------------------
Trying to read a non-existent property returns [`()`] instead of causing an error.
This is similar to JavaScript where accessing a non-existent property returns `undefined`.
```rust
let map = #{ foo: 42 };
// Regular property access
let x = map.foo; // x == 42
// Non-existent property
let x = map.bar; // x == ()
```
```admonish tip.small "Tip: Force error"
It is possible to force Rhai to return an `EvalAltResult:: ErrorPropertyNotFound` via
[`Engine:: set_fail_on_invalid_map_property`][options].
```
```admonish tip.small "Advanced tip: Override standard behavior"
For fine-tuned control on what happens when a non-existent property is accessed,
see [_Non-Existent Property Handling for Object Maps_](object-maps-missing-prop.md).
```
### Check for property existence
Use the [`in`] operator to check whether a property exists in an object-map.
```rust
let map = #{ foo: 42 };
"foo" in map == true;
"bar" in map == false;
```
### Short-circuit non-existent property access
Use the [_Elvis operator_][elvis] (`?.`) to short-circuit further processing if the object is [`()`].
```rust
x.a.b.foo(); // <- error if 'x', 'x.a' or 'x.a.b' is ()
x.a.b = 42; // <- error if 'x' or 'x.a' is ()
x?.a?.b?.foo(); // <- ok! returns () if 'x', 'x.a' or 'x.a.b' is ()
x?.a?.b = 42; // <- ok even if 'x' or 'x.a' is ()
```
### Default property value
Using the [null-coalescing operator](logic.md#null-coalescing-operator) to give non-existent
properties default values.
```rust
let map = #{ foo: 42 };
// Regular property access
let x = map.foo; // x == 42
// Non-existent property
let x = map.bar; // x == ()
// Default value for property
let x = map.bar ?? 42; // x == 42
```
Built-in Functions
------------------
The following methods (defined in the [`BasicMapPackage`][built-in packages] but excluded when using
a [raw `Engine`]) operate on object maps.
| Function | Parameter(s) | Description |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `get` | property name | gets a copy of the value of a certain property ([`()`] if the property does not exist); behavior is not affected by [`Engine::fail_on_invalid_map_property`][options] |
| `set` | <ol><li>property name</li><li>new element</li></ol> | sets a certain property to a new value (property is added if not already exists) |
| `len` | _none_ | returns the number of properties |
| `is_empty` | _none_ | returns `true` if the object map is empty |
| `clear` | _none_ | empties the object map |
| `remove` | property name | removes a certain property and returns it ([`()`] if the property does not exist) |
| `+=` operator, `mixin` | second object map | mixes in all the properties of the second object map to the first (values of properties with the same names replace the existing values) |
| `+` operator | <ol><li>first object map</li><li>second object map</li></ol> | merges the first object map with the second |
| `==` operator | <ol><li>first object map</li><li>second object map</li></ol> | are the two object maps the same (elements compared with the `==` operator, if defined)? |
| `!=` operator | <ol><li>first object map</li><li>second object map</li></ol> | are the two object maps different (elements compared with the `==` operator, if defined)? |
| `fill_with` | second object map | adds in all properties of the second object map that do not exist in the object map |
| `contains`, [`in`] operator | property name | does the object map contain a property of a particular name? |
| `keys` | _none_ | returns an [array] of all the property names (in random order), not available under [`no_index`] |
| `values` | _none_ | returns an [array] of all the property values (in random order), not available under [`no_index`] |
| `drain` | [function pointer] to predicate (usually a [closure]) | removes all elements (returning them) that return `true` when called with the predicate function taking the following parameters:<ol><li>key</li><li>_(optional)_ object map element (if omitted, the object map element is bound to `this`)</li></ol> |
| `retain` | [function pointer] to predicate (usually a [closure]) | removes all elements (returning them) that do not return `true` when called with the predicate function taking the following parameters:<ol><li>key</li><li>_(optional)_ object map element (if omitted, the object map element is bound to `this`)</li></ol> |
| `filter` | [function pointer] to predicate (usually a [closure]) | constructs a object map with all elements that return `true` when called with the predicate function taking the following parameters:<ol><li>key</li><li>_(optional)_ object map element (if omitted, the object map element is bound to `this`)</li></ol> |
| `to_json` | _none_ | returns a JSON representation of the object map ([`()`] is mapped to `null`, all other data types must be supported by JSON) |
Examples
--------
```rust
let y = #{ // object map literal with 3 properties
a: 1,
bar: "hello",
"baz!$@": 123.456, // like JavaScript, you can use any string as property names...
"": false, // even the empty string!
`hello`: 999, // literal strings are also OK
a: 42, // <- syntax error: duplicated property name
`a${2}`: 42, // <- syntax error: property name cannot have string interpolation
};
y.a = 42; // access via dot notation
y.a == 42;
y.baz!$@ = 42; // <- syntax error: only proper variable names allowed in dot notation
y."baz!$@" = 42; // <- syntax error: strings not allowed in dot notation
y["baz!$@"] = 42; // access via index notation is OK
"baz!$@" in y == true; // use 'in' to test if a property exists in the object map
("z" in y) == false;
ts.obj = y; // object maps can be assigned completely (by value copy)
let foo = ts.list.a;
foo == 42;
let foo = #{ a:1, }; // trailing comma is OK
let foo = #{ a:1, b:2, c:3 }["a"];
let foo = #{ a:1, b:2, c:3 }.a;
foo == 1;
fn abc() {
#{ a:1, b:2, c:3 } // a function returning an object map
}
let foo = abc().b;
foo == 2;
let foo = y["a"];
foo == 42;
y.contains("a") == true;
y.contains("xyz") == false;
y.xyz == (); // a non-existent property returns '()'
y["xyz"] == ();
y.len == (); // an object map has no property getter function
y.len() == 3; // method calls are OK
y.remove("a") == 1; // remove property
y.len() == 2;
y.contains("a") == false;
for name in y.keys() { // get an array of all the property names via 'keys'
print(name);
}
for val in y.values() { // get an array of all the property values via 'values'
print(val);
}
y.clear(); // empty the object map
y.len() == 0;
```
No Support for Property Getters
-------------------------------
In order not to affect the speed of accessing properties in an object map, new
[property getters][getters/setters] cannot be registered because they conflict with the syntax of
property access.
A [property getter][getters/setters] function registered via `Engine::register_get`, for example,
for a `Map` will never be found &ndash; instead, the property will be looked up in the object map.
Properties should be registered as _methods_ instead:
```rust
map.len // access property 'len', returns '()' if not found
map.len() // 'len' method - returns the number of properties
map.keys // access property 'keys', returns '()' if not found
map.keys() // 'keys' method - returns array of all property names
map.values // access property 'values', returns '()' if not found
map.values() // 'values' method - returns array of all property values
```