Re: invoking a *class* method from a workspace

Well obviously I need to a lot more reading and experimenting with this, 
even if  "class" methods are "regular" methods, there is something different
with them as far as :

1) the syntax to access them  ("fire" .. "call" .. "invoke" ??? what is the
traditional term ? )

2) At least one difference I've found is that I when tried to create a
"class" method that accessed an instance variable, Squeak warned that the
variable didn't exist and asked if I wante to create it (is this a bug?) ...
even though it was "declared" in the class definition.

I tried modifying my MikeTest to :

Object subclass: #MikeTest
        instanceVariableNames: 'ivar1'
        classVariableNames: 'Cvar1'
        poolDictionaries: ''
        category: 'Mike1'

and adding :

A) -----------"instance method " -------------------------------

imet: ivar icmet: cvar
        ivar1 := ivar.
        Cvar1  := cvar.
        ^ 'I am an instance method'
---------------------------------------------

iget
  |temp|
     temp := Dictionary new.
     temp at: 'ivar1' put: ivar1.
     temp at: 'cvar1' put: Cvar1.
     ^ temp.

and

B)   --------------"class method " --------------------------------
cmet: ivar ccmet: cvar
        ivar1 := ivar.
          Cvar1  := cvar.
         
          Cvar1  := cvar.
     ^ 'I am a Class Method'
--------------------------------------------------------------
cget
  |temp|
     temp := Dictionary new.
     temp at: 'cvar1' put: Cvar1.
    temp  at: 'ivar1' put: ivar1.
     ^ temp.
=================================


(I realize 'iget' and 'cget' are the same thing, I just wanted to see if
there is any difference when running them.)

But Squeak says that 'ivar1' is undeclared and asks if I want to declare it. 
It accepts it being declared as an instance variable (even though it already
was according to the class definition ... (is this a bug?).

I can set / retrieve the variables with either the "class" or "instance"
methods, so I'm not sure why Classes have been setup in Squeak using both
types of methods.

t1 := MikeTest new.

result := MikeTest cmet: 'Class method setting inst var ivar1-> inst44' 
ccmet: 'Class method setting class var Cvar1 -> Class01'



Bert Freudenberg-2 wrote:
> 
> On May 26, 2007, at 14:50 , mstram wrote:
> 
>> What's the trick / catch ... if there is one for invoking a class  
>> method from
>> a workspace?
> 
> "Class methods" in Smalltalk are regular methods, because classes are  
> regular objects. Unfortunately the browser gives the impression that  
> there are two kinds of methods ...
> 
>       MyClass new
> 
> simply sends #new to the object MyClass. This is how you invoke a  
> "class method".
> 
> Remember, anything in Smalltalk is an object. Even classes. There is  
> not even a "syntax" to define a class or a method (just like there is  
> no syntax for control structures). Everything is accomplished by  
> sending messages.
> 
> - Bert -
> 
> 

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