286 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
286 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
Object Maps
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===========
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Object maps are hash dictionaries. Properties are all dynamic values and can be freely added and retrieved.
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[`type_of()`](type-of.md) an object map returns `"map"`.
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~~~admonish tip "Tip: Object maps are _FAST_"
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Normally, when [properties](getters-setters.md) are accessed, copies of the data values are made.
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This is normally slow.
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Object maps have special treatment – properties are accessed via _references_, meaning that
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no copies of data values are made.
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This makes object map access fast, especially when deep within a properties chain.
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```rust
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// 'obj' is a normal custom type
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let x = obj.a.b.c.d;
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// The above is equivalent to:
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let a_value = obj.a; // temp copy of 'a'
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let b_value = a_value.b; // temp copy of 'b'
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let c_value = b_value.c; // temp copy of 'c'
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let d_value = c_value.d; // temp copy of 'd'
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let x = d_value;
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// 'map' is an object map
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let x = map.a.b.c.d; // direct access to 'd'
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// 'a', 'b' and 'c' are not copied
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map.a.b.c.d = 42; // directly modifies 'd' in 'a', 'b' and 'c'
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// no copy of any property value is made
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map.a.b.c.d.calc(); // directly calls 'calc' on 'd'
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// no copy of any property value is made
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```
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~~~
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Literal Syntax
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--------------
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Object map literals are built within braces `#{` ... `}` with _name_`:`_value_ pairs separated by
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commas `,`:
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> `#{` _property_ `:` _value_`,` ... `,` _property_ `:` _value_ `}`
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>
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> `#{` _property_ `:` _value_`,` ... `,` _property_ `:` _value_ `,` `}` `// trailing comma is OK`
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The property _name_ can be a simple identifier following the same naming rules as
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[variables](variables.md), or a [string literal](../appendix/literals.md) without interpolation.
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Property Access Syntax
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----------------------
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### Dot notation
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The _dot notation_ allows only property names that follow the same naming rules as
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[variables](variables.md).
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> _object_ `.` _property_
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### Elvis notation
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The [_Elvis notation_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_operator) is similar to the _dot
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notation_ except that it returns `()` if the object itself is `()`.
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> `// returns () if object is ()`
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> _object_ `?.` _property_
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>
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> `// no action if object is ()`
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> _object_ `?.` _property_ `=` _value_ `;`
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### Index notation
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The _index notation_ allows setting/getting properties of arbitrary names (even the empty
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[string](strings-chars.md)).
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> _object_ `[` _property_ `]`
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Handle Non-Existent Properties
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------------------------------
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Trying to read a non-existent property returns `()` instead of causing an error.
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This is similar to JavaScript where accessing a non-existent property returns `undefined`.
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```rust
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let map = #{ foo: 42 };
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// Regular property access
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let x = map.foo; // x == 42
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// Non-existent property
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let x = map.bar; // x == ()
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```
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### Check for property existence
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Use the [`in`](operators.md#in-operator) operator to check whether a property exists in an object-map.
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```rust
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let map = #{ foo: 42 };
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"foo" in map == true;
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"bar" in map == false;
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```
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### Short-circuit non-existent property access
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Use the [_Elvis operator_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_operator) (`?.`) to short-circuit
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further processing if the object is `()`.
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```rust
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x.a.b.foo(); // <- error if 'x', 'x.a' or 'x.a.b' is ()
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x.a.b = 42; // <- error if 'x' or 'x.a' is ()
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x?.a?.b?.foo(); // <- ok! returns () if 'x', 'x.a' or 'x.a.b' is ()
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x?.a?.b = 42; // <- ok even if 'x' or 'x.a' is ()
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```
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### Default property value
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Using the [null-coalescing operator](operators.md#null-coalescing-operator) to give non-existent
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properties default values.
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```rust
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let map = #{ foo: 42 };
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// Regular property access
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let x = map.foo; // x == 42
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// Non-existent property
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let x = map.bar; // x == ()
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// Default value for property
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let x = map.bar ?? 42; // x == 42
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```
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Built-in Functions
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------------------
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The following methods operate on object maps.
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| Function | Parameter(s) | Description |
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| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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| `get` | property name | gets a copy of the value of a certain property (`()` if the property does not exist) |
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| `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) |
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| `len` | _none_ | returns the number of properties |
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| `is_empty` | _none_ | returns `true` if the object map is empty |
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| `clear` | _none_ | empties the object map |
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| `remove` | property name | removes a certain property and returns it (`()` if the property does not exist) |
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| `+=` 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) |
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| `+` operator | <ol><li>first object map</li><li>second object map</li></ol> | merges the first object map with the second |
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| `==` 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)? |
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| `!=` 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)? |
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| `fill_with` | second object map | adds in all properties of the second object map that do not exist in the object map |
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| `contains`, `in` operator | property name | does the object map contain a property of a particular name? |
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| `drain` | [function pointer](fn-ptr.md) to predicate (usually a [closure](fn-closure.md)) | 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> |
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| `retain` | [function pointer](fn-ptr.md) to predicate (usually a [closure](fn-closure.md)) | 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> |
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| `filter` | [function pointer](fn-ptr.md) to predicate (usually a [closure](fn-closure.md)) | 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> |
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| `keys` | _none_ | returns an [array](arrays.md) of all the property names (in random order) |
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| `values` | _none_ | returns an [array](arrays.md) of all the property values (in random order) |
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| `to_json` | _none_ | returns a JSON representation of the object map (`()` is mapped to `null`, all other data types must be supported by JSON) |
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Examples
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--------
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```rust
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let y = #{ // object map literal with 3 properties
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a: 1,
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bar: "hello",
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"baz!$@": 123.456, // like JavaScript, you can use any string as property names...
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"": false, // even the empty string!
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`hello`: 999, // literal strings are also OK
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a: 42, // <- syntax error: duplicated property name
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`a${2}`: 42, // <- syntax error: property name cannot have string interpolation
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};
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y.a = 42; // access via dot notation
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y.a == 42;
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y.baz!$@ = 42; // <- syntax error: only proper variable names allowed in dot notation
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y."baz!$@" = 42; // <- syntax error: strings not allowed in dot notation
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y["baz!$@"] = 42; // access via index notation is OK
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"baz!$@" in y == true; // use 'in' to test if a property exists in the object map
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("z" in y) == false;
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ts.obj = y; // object maps can be assigned completely (by value copy)
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let foo = ts.list.a;
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foo == 42;
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let foo = #{ a:1, }; // trailing comma is OK
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let foo = #{ a:1, b:2, c:3 }["a"];
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let foo = #{ a:1, b:2, c:3 }.a;
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foo == 1;
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fn abc() {
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#{ a:1, b:2, c:3 } // a function returning an object map
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}
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let foo = abc().b;
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foo == 2;
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let foo = y["a"];
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foo == 42;
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y.contains("a") == true;
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y.contains("xyz") == false;
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y.xyz == (); // a non-existent property returns '()'
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y["xyz"] == ();
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y.len == (); // an object map has no property getter function
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y.len() == 3; // method calls are OK
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y.remove("a") == 1; // remove property
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y.len() == 2;
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y.contains("a") == false;
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for name in y.keys() { // get an array of all the property names via 'keys'
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print(name);
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}
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for val in y.values() { // get an array of all the property values via 'values'
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print(val);
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}
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y.clear(); // empty the object map
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y.len() == 0;
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```
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Special Support for OOP
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------------------------
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Object maps can be used to simulate object-oriented programming (OOP) by storing data as properties
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and methods as properties holding [function pointers](fn-ptr.md).
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If an object map's property holds a [function pointer](fn-ptr.md), the property can simply be called
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like a normal method in method-call syntax.
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This is a _short-hand_ to avoid the more verbose syntax of using the `call` function keyword.
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When a property holding a [function pointer](fn-ptr.md) or a [closure](fn-closure.md) is called like
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a method, it is replaced as a method call on the object map itself.
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```rust
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let obj = #{
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data: 40,
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action: || this.data += x // 'action' holds a closure
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};
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obj.action(2); // calls the function pointer with 'this' bound to 'obj'
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obj.call(obj.action, 2); // <- the above de-sugars to this
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obj.data == 42;
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// To achieve the above with normal function pointer call will fail.
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fn do_action(map, x) { map.data += x; } // 'map' is a copy
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obj.action = do_action; // <- de-sugars to 'Fn("do_action")'
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obj.action.call(obj, 2); // a copy of 'obj' is passed by value
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obj.data == 42; // 'obj.data' is not changed
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```
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