MethodSupport            package:methods            R Documentation

Additional (Support) Functions for Methods

Description:

     These are support routines for computations on formal methods.

Usage:

     listFromMethods(generic, where, table)

     getMethodsForDispatch(f, fdef)

     cacheMethod(f, sig, def, args, fdef, inherited = FALSE)

     resetGeneric(f, fdef, mlist, where, deflt)

Summary of Functions:

     'listFromMethods': A list object describing the methods for the
          function 'generic', supplied either as the function or the
          name of the function.  If 'where' is supplied, this should be
          an environment or search list position from which a table of
          methods for the generic will be taken.  If 'table' is
          supplied, this is itself assumed to be such a table.  If
          neither argument is supplied, the table is taken directly
          from the generic function (that is, the current set of
          methods defined for this generic).

          Returns an object of class '"LinearMethodsList"' (see
          LinearMethodsList-class) describing all the methods in the
          relevant table.


     'resetGeneric': reset the currently defined methods for this
          generic to the currently visible methods, looking from
          environment 'where'.  Returns 'TRUE' or 'FALSE' according to
          whether information for the function was found in the
          metadata.

          Normally not called directly, since changes to methods,
          attaching and detaching packages all generate a call
          automatically.

     'cacheMethod': Store the definition for this function and
          signature in the method metadata for the function.  Used to
          store extensions of coerce methods found through inheritance,
          and to cache methods with 'callNextMethod' information.

          No persistent effect, since the method metadata is
          session-scope only.

     'getMethodsForDispatch': Get the current methods list object
          representing the methods for function 'f', merged from the
          various packages and with any additional caching information
          stored in the 'allMethods' slot.

          If methods have not yet been merged, calling
          'getMethodsForDispatch' will cause the merge to take place.

