LinearMethodsList-class       package:methods       R Documentation

Class "LinearMethodsList"

Description:

     A version of methods lists that has been 'linearized' for
     producing summary information.  The actual objects from class
     '"MethodsList"' used for method dispatch are defined recursively
     over the arguments involved.

Objects from the Class:

     The function 'linearizeMlist' converts an ordinary methods list
     object into the linearized form.

Slots:

     'methods': Object of class '"list"', the method definitions.

     'arguments': Object of class '"list"', the corresponding formal
          arguments, namely as many of the arguments in the signature
          of the generic function as are active in the relevant method
          table. 

     'classes': Object of class '"list"', the corresponding classes in
          the signatures. 

     'generic': Object of class '"genericFunction"'; the generic
          function to which the methods correspond. 

Future Note:

     The current version of 'linearizeMlist' does not take advantage of
     the 'MethodDefinition' class, and therefore does more work for
     less effect than it could.  In particular, we may move to redefine
     both the function and the class to take advantage of the stored
     signatures. Don't write code depending precisely on the present
     form, although all the current information will be obtainable in
     the future.

See Also:

     Function 'linearizeMlist' for the computation, and
     'MethodsList-class' for the original, recursive form.

