> -----Original Message-----
> From: squeak-dev-admin at lists.squeakfoundation.org [mailto:squeak-dev-
> admin at lists.squeakfoundation.org] On Behalf Of Anthony Hannan
> Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2002 9:21 AM
> To: squeak-dev at lists.squeakfoundation.org
> Subject: Re: Behaviors vs Modules
> 
> Jecel Assumpcao Jr <jecel at merlintec.com> wrote:
> > On Friday 22 February 2002 23:38, Anthony Hannan wrote:
> > > - A Smalltalk expression now knows, via the selectors it calls,
which
> > > protocols and corresponding default behaviors it depends on.  So
> > > starting from a Smalltalk expression we can trace selectors and
> > > methods recursively and load all default behaviors that will be
> > > needed.
> >
> > Two slight problems:
> >
> >   1) #perform:
> 
> perform: will have to take a selector object that already knows its
> protocol instead of just a symbol.  The selector's protocol will be
loaded
> at runtime when the perform is triggered.

Exactly.

A given selector <Symbol> instance in SmallScript is always associated
with a namespace. I.e., a symbol consists of a selector familyName, a
selector scope (namespace), and a family-group-selector (for var-args).

Where an interface is a class, and classes are namespaces. So a symbol
can have its scope/namespace be an interface. Which is what gives you
the callsite (callers) desired "protocol".

-- Dave S. [SmallScript Corp]

SmallScript for the AOS & .NET Platforms
David.Simmons at SmallScript.com | http://www.smallscript.org

> 
> >   2) if #foo is used in only one protocol in your system, you don't
> > have to say which one that is, right? Now imagine that you send your
> > module to me and I load it into my system which also has a #foo in
only
> > one protocol, but it happens to be a different protocol from yours!
> 
> The compiled method will have the selector object "foo" in its
literals
> which knows its protocol, not the symbol #foo.  So if you send the
> compiled method to another image (via image segments) then the
protocol
> will go with it.  If you just send the source code, your right, "foo"
> will be looked up in the new environment.  But this is the same
problem
> we have with globals now.  How do I know "String" in my image means
the
> same as "String" in your image?
> 
> Cheers,
> Anthony