Generic Functions

	Generic Functions In computer programming, a generic function is a function defined for polymorphism. In statically typed languages In statically typed languages (such as C++ and Java), the term ''generic functions'' refers to a mechanism for ''compile-time polymorphism'' (static dispatch), specifically parametric polymorphism. These are functions defined with TypeParameters, intended to be resolved with compile time type information. The compiler uses these types to instantiate suitable versions, resolving any function overloading appropriately. In Common Lisp Object System In some systems for object-oriented programming such as the Common Lisp Object System (CLOS) and Dylan, a ''generic function'' is an entity made up of all methods having the same name. Typically a ''generic function'' is an instance of a class that inherits both from ''function'' and ''standard-object''. Thus generic functions are both functions (that can be called with and applied to arguments) and ordinary objects. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
picture info	Computer Programming Computer programming is the process of performing a particular computation (or more generally, accomplishing a specific computing result), usually by designing and building an executable computer program. Programming involves tasks such as analysis, generating algorithms, Profiling (computer programming), profiling algorithms' accuracy and resource consumption, and the implementation of algorithms (usually in a chosen programming language, commonly referred to as coding). The source code of a program is written in one or more languages that are intelligible to programmers, rather than machine code, which is directly executed by the central processing unit. The purpose of programming is to find a sequence of instructions that will automate the performance of a task (which can be as complex as an operating system) on a computer, often for solving a given problem. Proficient programming thus usually requires expertise in several different subjects, including knowledge of the Domain ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
picture info	Inheritance (object-oriented Programming) In object-oriented programming, inheritance is the mechanism of basing an object or class upon another object ( prototype-based inheritance) or class ( class-based inheritance), retaining similar implementation. Also defined as deriving new classes ( sub classes) from existing ones such as super class or base class and then forming them into a hierarchy of classes. In most class-based object-oriented languages, an object created through inheritance, a "child object", acquires all the properties and behaviors of the "parent object" , with the exception of: constructors, destructor, overloaded operators and friend functions of the base class. Inheritance allows programmers to create classes that are built upon existing classes, to specify a new implementation while maintaining the same behaviors ( realizing an interface), to reuse code and to independently extend original software via public classes and interfaces. The relationships of objects or classes through inheritance give ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Multiple Dispatch Multiple dispatch or multimethods is a feature of some programming languages in which a function or method can be dynamically dispatched based on the run-time (dynamic) type or, in the more general case, some other attribute of more than one of its arguments. This is a generalization of single-dispatch polymorphism where a function or method call is dynamically dispatched based on the derived type of the object on which the method has been called. Multiple dispatch routes the dynamic dispatch to the implementing function or method using the combined characteristics of one or more arguments. Understanding dispatch Developers of computer software typically organize source code into named blocks variously called subroutines, procedures, subprograms, functions, or methods. The code in the function is executed by ''calling'' it – executing a piece of code that references its ''name''. This transfers control temporarily to the called function; when the function's execution has c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Single Dispatch In computer science, dynamic dispatch is the process of selecting which implementation of a polymorphic operation (method or function) to call at run time. It is commonly employed in, and considered a prime characteristic of, object-oriented programming (OOP) languages and systems. Object-oriented systems model a problem as a set of interacting objects that enact operations referred to by name. Polymorphism is the phenomenon wherein somewhat interchangeable objects each expose an operation of the same name but possibly differing in behavior. As an example, a object and a object both have a method that can be used to write a personnel record to storage. Their implementations differ. A program holds a reference to an object which may be either a object or a object. Which it is may have been determined by a run-time setting, and at this stage, the program may not know or care which. When the program calls on the object, something needs to choose which behavior gets enacted ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Method (computer Science) A method in object-oriented programming (OOP) is a procedure associated with a message and an object. An object consists of ''state data'' and ''behavior''; these compose an ''interface'', which specifies how the object may be utilized by any of its various consumers. A method is a behavior of an object parametrized by a consumer. Data is represented as properties of the object, and behaviors are represented as methods. For example, a Window object could have methods such as open and close, while its state (whether it is open or closed at any given point in time) would be a property. In class-based programming, methods are defined within a class, and objects are instances of a given class. One of the most important capabilities that a method provides is '' method overriding'' - the same name (e.g., area) can be used for multiple different kinds of classes. This allows the sending objects to invoke behaviors and to delegate the implementation of those behaviors to the receivi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	CommonLoops CommonLoops (the Common Lisp Object-Oriented Programming System; an acronym reminiscent of the earlier Lisp OO system "Loops" for the Interlisp-D system) is an early programming language which extended Common Lisp to include Object-oriented programming functionality and is a dynamic object system which differs from the OOP facilities found in static languages such as C++ or Java. Like New Flavors, CommonLoops su