This behavior is consistent with other OO languages like C++ and C# that do
not have virtual methods by default.
This solution isn't ideal, but I don't have time for a larger refactoring
right now. I sat on this change for a good few weeks before committing it
unchanged.
* lib/MemberBuilderValidator.js (validateMethod): Allow override of
supertype overrides.
* test/*: Stripped `virtual' keyword where appropriate.
* doc/classes.texi (Inheritance): Update to state that `override' implies
`virtual'.
Supertypes that extend constructors may now be extended by traits without
completely blowing up. Good feature.
* lib/Trait.js (__tconstruct): Add function.
(createVirtProxy): Use it.
* test/Trait/ClassExtendTest.js: Add test.
Traits can now override methods of their class supertypes. Previously, in
order to override a method of some class `C` by mixing in some trait `T`,
both had to implement a common interface. This had two notable downsides:
1. A trait that was only compatible with details of `C` could only work
with `C#M` if it implemented an interface `I` that declared `I#M`.
This required the author of `C` to create interfaces where they would
otherwise not be necessary.
2. As a corollary of #1---since methods of interfaces must be public, it
was not possible for `T` to override any protected method of `C`; this
meant that `C` would have to declare such methods public, which may
break encapsulation or expose unnecessary concerns to the outside
world.
Until documentation is available---hopefully in the near future---the test
cases provide detailed documentation of the behavior. Stackable traits work
as you would expect:
```javascript
var C = Class(
{
'virtual foo': function()
{
return 'C';
},
} );
var T1 = Trait.extend( C,
{
'virtual abstract override foo': function()
{
return 'T1' + this.__super();
},
} );
var T2 = Trait.extend( C,
{
'virtual abstract override foo': function()
{
return 'T2' + this.__super();
},
} );
C.use( T1 )
.use( T1 )
.use( T2 )
.use( T2 )
.foo();
// result: "T2T2T1T1C"
```
If the `override` keyword is used without `abstract`, then the super method
is statically bound to the supertype, rather than being resolved at runtime:
```javascript
var C = Class(
{
'virtual foo': function()
{
return 'C';
},
} );
var T1 = Trait.extend( C,
{
'virtual abstract override foo': function()
{
return 'T1' + this.__super();
},
} );
var T2 = Trait.extend( C,
{
// static override
'virtual override foo': function()
{
return 'T2' + this.__super();
},
} );
C.use( T1 )
.use( T1 )
.use( T2 )
.use( T2 )
.foo();
// result: "T2C"
```
This latter form should be discouraged in most circumstances (as it prevents
stackable traits), but the behavior is consistent with the rest of the
system.
Happy hacking.
Mike Gerwitz