Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism

From	Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism
Date	2016-09-15 11:23 -0700
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<kfnwpidggy5.fsf@x-alumni2.alumni.caltech.edu> (permalink)
References	<b0659440-88ee-4d0f-861e-d5bb1cd0890d@googlegroups.com>

Show all headers | View raw

Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> writes:

> I need to create an array of "TypeSpecifiers" that are polymorphic.
> I have the list of all possible types.
>
> Does anyone have suggestions to implement this?
> [snip proposal sketch]

I have several suggestions (given with the benefit of having read
some of the downstream articles).

1. Don't write code in the common intersection of C and C++.
Write code in C, or write code in C++, but don't try to
write in the common intersection.

2. For what you want to do, probably C++ is a better fit.
Just use classes and virtual functions.  You won't need
unions, and if done right you probably won't need any
integer type tags either (although that may depend on how
the items are processed).

3. In any case don't use unions.  They aren't the right tool
here.

4. If you can, avoid the use of integer type tags, but in
any case don't discriminate on those type tags in open code.
What this means most importantly is don't be casting all
over the place to access type-specific fields.  Wrap
type-specific access in functions, and call those functions
in ways that are guaranteed by construction to be type safe.

5. There are well-known ways to do dynamic polymorphism
(called by some object-oriented programming) in C.  In fact
I coded up a short example and was considering posting it
until I noticed that it wouldn't meet your condition of
being written in the common intersection of C and C++.  (The
example uses designated initializers and compound literals,
neither of which is any version of C++.)  If you decide to
go ahead in C, I suggest looking into these techniques
further, and adapting one to your needs.

6. If you decide to go ahead in the common intersection of
C and C++, I recommend looking for a good therapist.

Back to comp.lang.c | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-14 12:01 -0700
  Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-14 13:15 -0700
  Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-14 13:27 -0700
    Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-09-14 21:50 +0100
      Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-14 14:20 -0700
        Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-09-14 17:32 -0400
          Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-14 16:30 -0700
            Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-09-14 17:54 -0400
          Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-14 17:34 -0700
            Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-14 17:58 -0700
              Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-14 19:50 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-15 05:03 -0700
              Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-15 10:43 +0100
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-15 05:29 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-15 19:49 +0100
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-15 11:58 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-15 20:29 +0100
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-15 14:00 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-16 07:27 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-16 16:34 +0100
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-16 09:36 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-20 12:59 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-20 14:08 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-09-21 15:53 +1200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-21 07:38 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-09-23 09:12 +1200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-21 05:26 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-21 05:35 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-21 06:01 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-22 01:44 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-22 13:16 +0100
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-22 08:02 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-22 11:44 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-22 09:52 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-23 09:49 +0200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-23 07:55 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-24 16:29 +0200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-24 15:56 +0100
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-24 17:50 +0200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-09-24 13:45 -0400
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-24 11:26 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-28 10:38 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-24 21:03 +0100
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-25 12:43 +0200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-09-25 11:48 -0400
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-25 18:39 +0200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-09-25 13:14 -0400
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-25 13:47 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-28 10:39 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-25 23:25 +0200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-25 13:10 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-25 12:55 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-25 20:38 +0100
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-25 23:20 +0200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-28 07:15 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-28 21:29 +0200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-24 10:52 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-24 10:33 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-25 12:46 +0200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-24 13:58 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-28 04:46 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-24 00:07 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-23 08:52 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-23 09:56 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-23 12:00 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-22 08:45 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-22 09:36 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-23 12:06 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-23 15:29 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-29 07:56 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-30 10:54 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-30 11:18 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-30 19:26 +0100
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-30 12:41 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-30 21:07 +0100
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-30 23:30 -0700
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-10-01 11:35 +0100
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-10-01 14:44 -0700
        Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-09-14 22:56 +0100
          Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-15 13:19 +0200
            Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-09-15 08:07 -0400
              Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-15 14:24 +0200
                Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-09-15 15:34 +0100
            Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-15 05:10 -0700
          Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-15 09:12 -0700
        Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-14 23:32 +0100
        Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism "Chris M. Thomasson" <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2016-09-14 17:35 -0700
        Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-09-15 16:24 +1200
          Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-15 10:31 -0700
    Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-14 22:53 +0100
      Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-14 16:56 -0700
        Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-14 15:58 -0700
          Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-14 18:49 -0700
  Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2016-09-14 14:17 -0700
    Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-09-14 14:25 -0700
      Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2016-09-14 14:40 -0700
      Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2016-09-14 14:57 -0700
      Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-14 23:10 +0100
  Re: Sugestions for runtime polymorphism Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-15 11:23 -0700

csiph-web