class extensions

[Chris Nicholson-Sauls]

Alexander Panek wrote:
> Chris Nicholson-Sauls wrote:
>> I reiterate what I've said about three times now: I watch as D slowly 
>> turns into Ruby.  :)
> Hehe. They indeed have similarities - maybe not in language theory or 
> overall concept, but in innovation. Having (part of) Ruby's 
> expressiveness in D would be a very neat thing, as long as it doesn't 
> affect other concepts and goals of D.

I'm sure we'll never, ever, see something quite like:
$db.commit @transaction unless @transaction.flag_set? :Simulate

But other than that... ;)

>> (Although I actually like pseudo-members.  ColdC has this as well, but 
>> by modifying a type-lib object; $String.foo() callable as "abc".foo() 
>> for example.)
> 
> That's actually possible already in D (D1, even):
> 
> //
> import tango.io.Stdout;
> 
> void print (char[] s) {
>     Stdout(s);
> }
> 
> void main () {
>     "Hello world!".print(); // omitting () is not possible, though
> }
> //

Oh yes, I know.  :)  (See Cashew.)  But unlike D/1.x, ColdC supports this for all types 
(in its own weird way).  Right now it only works for arrays, and was originally just a 
fluke side-effect that got popular.

It looks like D/2.x is going to open up that Pandora's Box though.  Here's hoping it goes 
a lot better than the referenced myth.

-- Chris Nicholson-Sauls