Dylan (TM) Interim Reference Manual

(c) 1992-1994 Apple Computer, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Contents

• About This Manual I
• Foreword To The First Edition Vii
• Preface To The First Edition Ix
• Acknowledgments Xvii
• 1. Introduction 1
  • Manual Notation 1
  • Background And Goals 3
  • Language Overview 4
• 2. Syntax 7
  • Lexical Notation 7
  • Expressions 10
  • Statement Bodies 14
  • Special Function Call Syntax 15
  • Syntax Of Dylan Files 17
• 3. Variables 19
  • Module Variables 19
  • Lexical Variables 20
  • Checking Types 21
  • Binding Multiple Values 22
  • Assignment 24
• 4. Control Constructs 27
  • True And False 27
  • Conditionals 27
  • Iteration Constructs 31
  • Non-Local Exits 35
• 5. Comparisons 39
  • Equality Comparisons 39
  • Magnitude Comparisons 40
• 6. Functions 43
  • Function Defining Forms 43
  • Parameter Lists 48
  • Method Dispatch 55
  • Reflective Operations On Functions 62
  • The Classes <Function>, <Generic-Function>, And <Method> 65
• 7. Classes 67
  • Introduction 67
  • Defining New Classes 69
  • Slot Options 71
  • Instance Creation 78
  • Reflective Operations On Types 84
  • Coercing And Copying Objects 86
  • The Classes <Type>, <Class>, And <Singleton> 87
• 8. Controlling Dynamism 91
  • Declaring Characteristics Of Classes 91
  • Declaring Sealing Of Generic Functions 92
  • The Seal Generic Form 92
• 9. Collections 95
  • Functions For Collections 96
  • Functions For Sequences 101
  • The Instantiable Collection Classes 110
  • Operations On Arrays 113
  • Operations On Deques 115
  • Operations On Lists 116
  • Operations On Ranges 118
  • Operations On Stretchy Vectors 119
  • Operations On Strings 119
  • Operations On Tables 121
  • Operations On Vectors 122
  • The Iteration Protocol 122
  • Iteration Stability And Natural Order 128
  • Collection Keys 128
  • Mutability 130
  • Collection Alignment 132
  • Defining A New Collection Class: A Summary 134
• 10. Characters And Symbols 135
  • Characters 135
  • Symbols 136
• 11. Numbers 137
  • Automatic Type Conversion 137
  • Numeric Classes 138
  • General Arithmetic Functions 138
• 12. Other Operations 143
  • Functional Operations 143
  • Function Application 146
  • Identity Function 146
• 13. Conditions 147
  • Background 147
  • Overview 149
  • Specification 152
• 14. Modules 163
  • Overview 163
  • Programs, Module Declarations 164
  • Module Declarations 165
  • Examples 168
• 15. Libraries 171
• Appendix A: How To Get More Information 175
• Appendix B: Dylan Syntax BNF 177
  • Lexical Grammar 177
  • Phrase Grammar 183
• Footnotes 189