Addison-Wesley / Prentice Hall
Computer Science
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Putting Metaclasses to Work: A New Dimension in Object-Oriented Programming
ISBN-10: 0201433052
ISBN-13: 9780201433050
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Copyright: 1999
Format: Paper; 320 pp
Published: 10/13/1998
Status: Out of Print
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Preface.
Glossary of Symbols.
1. Introduction.
Dictionaries.
Procedural Specifications.
Exercises.
2. The Elements of Reflective Class-based Models.
A Class Is an Object.
Structure of an Object.
Methods.
Inheritance.
The Top of the Inheritance Hierarchy.
An Initial Environment.
Creating Objects.
Drawing Class Structures.
Metaobject Protocols.
Summary.
Exercises.
3. Inheritance of Metaclass Constraints.
Metaclass Incompatibility.
Metaclass Constraints.
Importance of Inheriting Metaclass Constraints.
From the Programmer's Point of View.
Epistemological Argument for Inheritance of Metaclass Constraints.
On Metaclasses That Invoke Instance Methods.
Summary.
Exercises.
4. Dynamic Aspects of Our Object Model.
Instance Variable Access.
Instance Initialization.
Conservative Merge.
Method Resolution Order.
Class Construction.
Parent Method Call.
Cooperative Override Methods.
Serious Order Disagreements.
A Simple Programming Model.
Monotonicity of Implementation Chains.
Summary.
Exercises.
5. DTS C++.
DTS C++ Basics.
Graph Versus Tree Inheritance.
Typechecking.
Summary.
Exercises.
6. Our Metaobject Protocol.
Object Creation.
Retrieving the Class of an Object.
Freeing Objects.
Initializing Classes.
Solving a Set of Metaclass Constraints.
Defining Methods of a Class.
Readying a Class.
Example: a Metaclass for Managing the Extent of a Class.
Invoking Methods from Interpreters.
Instance Variable Access.
Example: Creation Time Stamps.
Redispatching a Method.
Summary.
Exercises.
7. Cooperation among Metaclasses.
Metaclass for Cooperation.
Notes on the Design of Cooperation.
Conflicts and Library Design.
A Discussion of Parameter Passing.
A Metaclass for Redispatching All Methods.
Example: A Simple Trace Facility.
Summary.
Exercises.
8. Before/After Metaclasses.
Design of the Before/After Metaclass.
Discussion.
Example: A Simple Metaclass for Thread Safety.
Summary.
Exercises.
9. Proxies.
Design of a Proxy Metaclass.
Properties of Proxies.
Distributed Systems.
Extent Managed Proxies.
Summary.
Exercises.
10. Metaclasses for Frameworks.
Single Instanced Property.
The Abstract Property.
The Final Property.
Mixins.
Preventing Parent Method Calls.
Summary.
Exercises.
11. Release-to-Release Binary Compatibility.
Defining Release-to-Release Binary Compatibility.
Procedural Programming.
Object-Oriented Programming.
When Classes are First-Class Objects.
A Comparison of Support in Several Object Models.
Completeness of a Set of Transformations.
Summary.
12. Conclusion.
Summary.
Appendix A: Advanced Linearization.
The Limits of Linearization.
Summary.
Exercises.
Appendix B: Handling Apply and Redispatch Stubs.
Example of an Apply Stub.
Example of a Redispatch Stub.
Appendix C: Rationale for Drawing Conventions.
Appendix D: Answers to Selected Exercises.
Bibliography.
Index. 0201433052T04062001
Ira R. Forman works for IBM in Austin, Texas. As a past member of IBM's Object Technology Products Group, he worked on the SOM Metaclass Framework. Forman's specialties are object-oriented programming, object composition, and distributed programming.
Scott H. Danforth works for Secant Technologies, Inc. As a past member of IBM's Object Technology Products Group, he originated the derived metaclass and metaclass cooperation concepts discussed in this book. His professional interests include development and practical application of object-oriented technology.
0201433052AB04062001
Putting Metaclasses to Work takes a new, evolutionary look at important concepts of object-oriented programming, starting with the development of an object model from fundamental principles. Unique aspects of this object model include a use of metaclasses to encapsulate the implementation of object properties and a support for reuse of metaclasses. Metaclass reuse is based on a new semantics for inheritance that automatically combines metaclasses by using multiple inheritance to compose object properties.
This book provides a concrete demonstration of how metaclasses can be used to increase productivity and reusability in object-oriented programming. A C++-based language for programming metaclasses according to the authors' model is presented and then used throughout the book, allowing the reader to understand the utility and importance of metaclasses within the overall context of object-oriented programming. In addition, this book:
- Presents the theory of reflective class-based object-oriented models
- Introduces a new form of inheritance called Inheritance of Metaclass Constraints
- Discusses the basic metaobject protocol used to program new metaclasses that isolate reusable properties
- Contains useful examples of metaclasses that can be built with metaobject protocol and cooperative metaclasses
0201433052B04062001
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