https://github.com/libsteve/cobbler

A collection of marcos and coding styles to make a dynamic-dispatch object-system in C, as a kind of primitive Objective-C clone.
https://github.com/libsteve/cobbler

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A collection of marcos and coding styles to make a dynamic-dispatch object-system in C, as a kind of primitive Objective-C clone.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/libsteve/cobbler
• Owner: libsteve
• Created: 2013-08-31T01:56:54.000Z (over 11 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2018-03-14T07:00:21.000Z (almost 7 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-11-06T07:29:07.315Z (2 months ago)
• Language: C
• Homepage:
• Size: 71.3 KB
• Stars: 4
• Watchers: 2
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md

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README

        
Cobbler: A Primitive C Object System

=======

Cobbler is an attempt to add objects to the C language in order to better understand the implementations of dynamic object systems such as that of Smalltalk and Objective-C.

Objects, known as `primitives`, are created using C Macros to define their properties and behavior.

Memory management is handled through reference counting, using the `own` and `disown` functions. With `autodiswon`, primitives can be assigned to a thread-specific pool of objects to automatically release at the end of some scope.

## Basic Usage

To define a new primitive object, use the `primitive_define()` macro function.

Pass in the name of the primitive, the super primitive, a structure to represent the data, and any virtual methods used. Virtual methods are added using the `using_virtual()` macro function after the structure is defined.

	primitive_define(my_primitive, primitive, {

			int a_number;

			char a_char;

		},

		virtual(my_primitive, create),

		virtual(my_primitive, destroy));

You can forward-declare the primitive using the `primitive_declare()` macro.

This can be useful when using the `method()` macro for declaring virtual methods for the primitive before you define the primitive itself.

	primitive_declare(my_primitive)

	my_primitive *method(my_primitive, create, int a_number, char a_char);

	void          method(my_primitive, destroy);

	int           method(my_primitive, getNumber);

	primitive_define(my_primitive, primitive, {

			int a_number;

			char a_char;

		},

		virtual(my_primitive, create),

		virtual(my_primitive, destroy),

		virtual(my_primitive, getNumber));

The `method()` macro can be used for defining non-virtual methods too.

	int method(my_primitive, non_virtual_method);

Virtual methods are called using the `virtual_call()` macro function, whereas non-virtual methods can either be called directly or through the `static_call()` macro function. 

The `virtual_call()` macro must be supplied with the return type, followed by the virtual method name, the primitive instance, and then finally any function arguments for the method.

The `static_call()` macro must be supplied with the primitive name, followed by the method name, the primitive instance, and then finally any function arguments for the method.

	my_primitive *p = create(my_primitive, 10, 'a');

	int result = virtual_call(int, getNumber, p);

	int other  = static_call(my_primitive, non_virtual_method, p);