[Pharo-dev] [Vm-dev] modified method temp references in closures: possible bug?

[Max Leske]

On 02.08.2013, at 15:35, Igor Stasenko <siguctua at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 2 August 2013 15:27, Max Leske <maxleske at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Sorry, yes, "dict" should be "collection".
>> 
>> 
>> On 02.08.2013, at 15:16, Clément Béra <bera.clement at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> This is not a bug.
>> 
> 
> yes, the expression:
> 
> [ methodScope ]
> 
> does not capturing the current value of methodScope variable.
> 
> means that closure, when evaluated will always return the value
> methodScope at the moment of evaluation.
> 
> Closures do not capturing values of free variables, because then it
> will mean different semantic than rest of code (in method's body).

Ok, thanks.


> 
> 
>> Here your variable methodScope is defined outside the block, therefore all the blocks and the method refers to the same variable when calling methodScope.
>> 
>> 
>> Yes, I understand that. I just wanted to make sure that's the intended functionality. The reason I ask is that the error isn't easy to spot and there's no cue that one might be doing something wrong (It's not my code by the way :P). Especially for newcomers this can be a tricky one.
>> 
>> I totally agree with you that the variables belong to the block and should be declared there.
>> 
>> 
>> Your code is the same as if you wrote :
>> | methodScope |
>> methodScope := 1.
>> methodScope := 2.
>> At the end, methodScope is of course 2.
>> 
>> If you want the result :
>> 1
>> 2
>> you have to declare the variable in the block (then there are different variable named methodScope, actually 1 per activation of the block.
>> 
>> collection := OrderedCollection new.
>> 1 to: 2 do: [ :index |
>>        | methodScope |
>>        methodScope := index.
>>        dict add: [ methodScope ] ].
>> collection do: [ :block | Transcript show: block value; cr ]
>> 
>> 
>> 2013/8/2 Max Leske <maxleske at gmail.com>
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I just came across this (possible) bug and I'm able to reproduce it in Pharo 2.0 and 3.0 with the latest PharoVM (found in a 1.3 with NBCog):
>>> 
>>> expected (by my feeble mind):
>>> 1
>>> 2
>>> 
>>> actual:
>>> 2
>>> 2
>>> 
>>> | methodScope |
>>> collection := OrderedCollection new.
>>> 1 to: 2 do: [ :index |
>>>        methodScope := index.
>>>        dict add: [ methodScope ] ].
>>> 
>>> collection do: [ :block | Transcript show: block value; cr ]
>>> 
>>> I'm aware that using method temps in this way is not good programming style (usually) but I still think this behavior is curious if not at least very likely to cause a lot of weird errors.
>>> 
>>> Should I open a bug report?
>>> 
>>> Cheers,
>>> Max
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Best regards,
> Igor Stasenko.
>