ObjectPointer protocols

Class methods: initialization

defaultItemType

Answer the default item type for new instances of the receiver. When not specified, instances of the receiver point to items of this class.

defaultItemType: anOSObjectSubclass

Set the default item type for new instances of the receiver. When not specified, instances of the receiver point to items of this class.

Class methods: instance creation

address: addressInteger itemType: anOSObjectSubclass

Answer a new instance of the receiver with indirection level 2, initialized to reference the operating system pointer to a data element described by anOSObjectSubclass, at an address equal to addressInteger.

address: addressInteger itemType: anOSObjectSubclass indirectionLevel: indirectionLevel

Answer a new instance of the receiver with the specified indirection level, initialized to reference the operating system pointer, at an address equal to addressInteger.

calloc: anInteger itemType: anOSObjectSubclass

Allocate operating system memory large enough to contain anInteger operating system pointers. Answer a new instance of the receiver with indirection level 2, initialized to reference the operating system pointer to a data element described by anOSObjectSubclass, in the allocated operating system memory.

calloc: anInteger itemType: anOSObjectSubclass indirectionLevel: indirectionLevel

Allocate operating system memory large enough to contain anInteger operating system pointers. Answer a new instance of the receiver with the specified indirection level, initialized to reference the operating system pointer, in the allocated operating system memory.

itemType: anOSObjectSubclass

Allocate Smalltalk memory large enough to contain one operating system pointer. Answer a new instance of the receiver with indirection level 2, initialized to reference the operating system pointer to a data element described by the default item type, in the allocated operating system memory.

itemType: anOSObjectSubclass indirectionLevel: indirectionLevel

Allocate Smalltalk memory large enough to contain one operating system pointer. Answer a new instance of the receiver with the specified indirection level, initialized to reference the operating system pointer to a data element described by the default item type, in the allocated operating system memory.

new: anInteger itemType: anOSObjectSubclass

Allocate Smalltalk memory large enough to contain anInteger operating system pointers. Answer a new instance of the receiver with indirection level 2, initialized to reference the operating system pointer to a data element described by anOSObjectSubclass.

new: anInteger itemType: anOSObjectSubclass indirectionLevel: indirectionLevel

Allocate operating system memory large enough to contain anInteger operating system pointers. Answer a new instance of the receiver with the specified indirection level, initialized to reference the operating system pointer to a data element described by anOSObjectSubclass.

reference: aByteObject itemType: anOSObjectSubclass

Answer a new instance of the receiver with indirection level 2, initialized to reference aByteObject that contains operating system pointers to data elements described by anOSObjectSubclass.

reference: addressInteger itemType: anOSObjectSubclass indirectionLevel: indirectionLevel

Answer a new instance of the receiver with the specified indirection level, initialized to reference aByteObject that contains operating system pointers to data elements described by anOSObjectSubclass.

Instance methods: accessing

at: anInteger

Answer the data element at index anInteger from the data element referenced by the receiver. Indexing is done in terms of operating system pointers, not bytes. If the receiver's indirection level is 2, the value must be an instance of the receiver's itemType with indirection level 1. If the receiver's indirection level is greater than 2, the value must be an instance of the receiver, with indirection one less than the receiver, and having the same itemType.

at: anInteger put: anOSObject

Set the data element at index anInteger in the data element referenced by the receiver. Indexing is done in terms of operating system pointers, not bytes. If the receiver's indirection level is 2, the value must be an instance of the receiver's itemType with indirection level 1. If the receiver's indirection level is greater than 2, the value must be an instance of the receiver, with indirection one less than the receiver, and having the same itemType.

indirectionLevel

Answer the receiver's indirection level. The indirection level is defined as the number of pointer dereferences required to reach the data element described by the receiver.

itemType

Answer an instance of the receiver with indirection level 2, initialized to reference aByteObject that contains operating system pointers to data elements described by anOSObjectSubclass.