proper code introspection

[Gor Gyolchanyan]

On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 9:37 PM, Jonathan M Davis <jmdavisProg at gmx.com>wrote:

> On Monday, July 09, 2012 20:42:47 Gor Gyolchanyan wrote:
> > Currently, code introspection in D is way worse, then it should be. And
> > this is true for both compile-time and run-time introspection.
> > Moreover, the available stuff is bugged out in the most critical places.
> > I'd like to hear what people think would be a better way to handle
> > code introspection.
>
> You mean reflection?
>
> - Jonathan M Davis
>

I mean compile-time and run-time information like:
 * What are the types this one can implicitly/explicitly convert to/from?
 * What does this alias point to (variable/type/template/function)?
 * What is the protection of this alias?
 * What aliases does this one contain?
 * What are the instances of this template?
 * What are the available types (including/excluding template instances)?
 * What modules are being compiled and what modules do they import?
 * What packages are visible from the specified import paths?

This kind of information can allow enormously powerful libraries to be
built. For instance python-style dynamic type subsystem, which flawlessly
integrates with existing static type system, making D the first ever hybrid
static-dynamic typed language. This will include making functions and
templates dynamic:

   - Templates transformed into partially dynamically-typed
   functions/classes or associative arrays (in case of template variables).
   - Function and template overloading make dynamic, creating
   multi-dispatch functions.

-- 
Bye,
Gor Gyolchanyan.
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