[Caml-list] functional objects

[james woodyatt <jhw@wetware.com>]

everyone--

Before I file a wish request for this, I'd like to spark a discussion 
about it.

I really like the functional object semantics in Ocaml.  I think 
they're way cool.  I'm having a great time exploring what I can do with 
them.  Nothing really mindblowing to show for it yet, but give me time.

Anyway, one of the things I find lacking is a way to call a subclass 
constructor in the copy constructor.  In other words, I'd like to have 
some way to do the following:

	(* class type with only public methods exposed *)
	class type foo = object method f: unit end

	(* class with private members *)
	class foo x : foo = object
	  val x: int = x
	  method f = ()
	end

	(* derived functional subclass (notice method g) *)
	class bar y = object
	  inherit foo 0
	  val y: int = y
	  method g a b = {< foo a; y = b >}
	end

What I want is for a superclass class to be able to expose an interface 
to subclasses for constructing copies with arguments.  Is this a bad 
idea?  Has it already been considered and rejected?  Just curious.


-- 
j h woodyatt <jhw@wetware.com>
markets are only free to the people who own them.

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