polymorphism in ada 95 more on tagged types classwide...

Polymorphism in Ada 95 1 www.drew-hamilton.com/

Polymorphism in Ada 95

• More on tagged types • Classwide types • Dispatching


Tagged Types

•  For each tagged derivation class, there is an explicitly declared type called a classwide type.

• Mechanism for inheritance by type extension.

•  Tagged types make polymorphic programming possible.


Classwide Types

•  Each value in a classwide type consists of two parts:   a tag indicating the type of the value to

which it corresponds   the corresponding value (a value of the

type indicated by the tag. •  If T is a tagged type, then the attribute

T’Class names the classwide type for the derivation class containing T and its descendants.


Specific Types •  Unlike classwide types, explicitly declared tagged

types such as T, T1, ... are called specific types. •  If a given classwide type has values corresponding

to the values of a given specific type, then a value of the specific type can be used anywhere a value of a classwide is expected.

•  Thus a value of type T, T1, T11, T12 or T2 can be used anywhere a value of type T’Class is expected, and a value of type T1, T11 or T12 can be used anywhere a value of type T1’Class is expected.


Heterogeneous Data Structures • Classwide types can be

designated by an access type. •  Linked lists may be constructed in

which different list cells have different tags

OR •  arrays of access values that point

to objects of type T’Class with different tags.


Polymorphic Programmning

--Array of pointers to transactions: type Transaction_Array_Type is array (Positive range <>) of Transaction_Pointer_Type; --Linked list of pointers to transactions: type Transaction_List_Cell__Type; type Transaction_List_Type is access

Transaction_List_Cell_Type; type Transaction_List_Cell_Type is

record Transaction_Part : Transaction_Pointer_Type; Link_Part : Transaction_List_Type;

end record;


Manipulating Classwide Types

• Objects of a classwide type, including the objects pointed to by the Transaction_ Pointer_Type components in these data structures, can be manipulated by operations of the classwide type.

•  Such data structures provide the basis of polymorphic programming.


Subprograms for Classwide Types

•  Classwide subprograms for a type T’Class are explicitly declared with one or more parameters of type T’Class or with a result of type T’Class.

•  Dispatching subprograms for a type T’Class are the primitive subprograms of type T. Ex. a procedure declared with a formal parameter of type T can be called with an actual parameter of type T’Class.


Pointers to Objects of Classwide Types

• new T’Class’(expression) •  If declared type D is in the

derivation class of T then   new D or new D’(expression)   if such an allocator appears in a place

where a value of an access type pointing to T’Class objects is required, the effect is to allocate an object of type T’Class with the tag of D.


Classwide Subprograms

• Any subprogram with one or more parameters of a classwide type is a classwide operation.

•  In a call on a classwide operation, the actual parameter corresponding to a formal parameter of the classwide type T’Class may be of any type in the derivation class.


Function Earlier_Than

•  Re: page 530 of Cohen, Ada as a Second Language.

•  Implements a classwide operation by exploiting the fact that all values in Transaction_Type’Class have a Date_Part component.

•  Must be able to accept a Transaction_Type’Class parameter corresponding to either a Deposit_Type or a Check_Type value.


What is a Classwide Subprogram? •  A subprogram with formal parameters or a

result of a classwide type T’Class is a classwide subprogram.

•  In a call on a classwide subprogram, the actual parameters corresponding to a formal parameter of the classwide type may belong to any type in the derivation class for type T

•  These types include T’Class, T and for any type D descended from T, D’Class and D.

•  The same subprogram is invoked regardless of the tags of any classwide actual parameters.


A Dispatching Subprogram •  Is useful for operations that have entirely distinct

implementations for different types in the derivation class.

•  Is a primitive subprogram of a tagged type. •  Is declared in the same package declaration as the

tagged type, and subprogram specification names the tagged type as a parameter type, as the type pointed to by an access parameter, or as a function result type.

•  A call on such a subprogram is a dispatching call if all the formal parameters of the type have classwide or access-to-classwide actual parameters, or actual parameters that are dispatching calls.


Dispatching Calls Declarations:

type T is tagged….; A: T; procedure Classwide_Operation (X: in T’Class); procedure Dispatching_Operation (X: in T);

Calls: Classwide_Operation (A) -- classwide subprogram Classwide_Operation (T’Class(A)) --classwide subprogram Dispatching_Operation (A) --actual parameter of Type T Dispatching_Operation (T’Class(A)); -- actual parameter of

-- T’Class


Abstract types •  A type to serve as a place holder in a derived-

type hierarchy. •  A tagged type can be marked as a

placeholder type by declaring it as an abstract type.

•  A call on an abstract subprogram is required to be a dispatching call.

•  A primitive operation of a tagged type is allowed to be an abstract subprogram only if the tagged type is an abstract type.


Implications of Abstract Types

•  An abstract type is meant to be used as the parent type in a number of derived type operations.

•  Unless the derived type is declared abstract, all implicitly inherited abstract subprograms must be explicitly overridden by ordinary subprograms.

•  The compiler will enforce the design decision not to allow objects to be created for an abstract type.

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