Open AccessFirst-Class Object Sets
Author(s) -
Erik Ernst
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
daimi pb
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2245-9316
pISSN - 0105-8517
DOI - 10.7146/dpb.v37i589.7224
Subject(s) - soundness , computer science , disjoint union (topology) , object (grammar) , disjoint sets , construct (python library) , programming language , class (philosophy) , interface (matter) , set (abstract data type) , flexibility (engineering) , method , feature (linguistics) , theoretical computer science , algorithm , object oriented programming , mathematics , discrete mathematics , artificial intelligence , parallel computing , maximum bubble pressure method , linguistics , statistics , philosophy , bubble
. Typically, objects are monolithic entities with a fixed interface. To increase the flexibility in this area, this paper presents first-class object sets as a language construct. An object set offers an interface which is a disjoint union of the interfaces of its member objects. It may also be used for a special kind of method invocation involving multiple objects in a dynamic lookup process. With support for feature access and late-bound method calls object sets are similar to ordinary objects, only more flexible. The approach is made precise by means of a small calculus, and the soundness of its type system is shown by a mechanically checked proof in Coq.