Additional (Support) Functions for Methods

Description

These are support routines for computations on formal methods.

Usage

listFromMethods(generic, where, table)

getMethodsForDispatch(f, fdef)

cacheMethod(f, sig, def, args, fdef, inherited = FALSE)

resetGeneric(f, fdef, mlist, where, deflt)

Summary of Functions

listFromMethods:

A list object describing the methods for the function generic, supplied either as the function or the name of the function. If where is supplied, this should be an environment or search list position from which a table of methods for the generic will be taken. If table is supplied, this is itself assumed to be such a table. If neither argument is supplied, the table is taken directly from the generic function (that is, the current set of methods defined for this generic).

Returns an object of class "LinearMethodsList" (see LinearMethodsList-class) describing all the methods in the relevant table.

resetGeneric:

reset the currently defined methods for this generic to the currently visible methods, looking from environment where. Returns TRUE or FALSE according to whether information for the function was found in the metadata.

Normally not called directly, since changes to methods, attaching and detaching packages all generate a call automatically.

cacheMethod:

Store the definition for this function and signature in the method metadata for the function. Used to store extensions of coerce methods found through inheritance, and to cache methods with callNextMethod information.

No persistent effect, since the method metadata is session-scope only.

getMethodsForDispatch:

Get the current methods list object representing the methods for function f, merged from the various packages and with any additional caching information stored in the allMethods slot.

If methods have not yet been merged, calling getMethodsForDispatch will cause the merge to take place.