Core Language

class

Create a scripted class definition. The use of this function is described on the Object Definition page. in

classInfo

Return information about a class -- this is returned as a list with the following entries:

1. class name
2. class major version
3. class minor version
4. (repeated for each interface) list containing:
   1. interface name
   2. interface prog id
   3. interface major version
   4. interface minor version
   5. flag determining if the interface is creatable

function

Declare a script function. This is discussed further on the Script Function Definition page.

Arguments:

Return type: the empty List () is returned.

defun

Define a script function or method. This is discussed further on the Script Function Definition page.

local

Declare one or more variables which are local in scope to the current script function or method. Note that Carapace requires you to declare each variable used within a script function. If you attempt to use a variable you haven't declared, an Error will be thrown.

Arguments:

It takes 1 or more two-element Lists where each list is of the form:

    ( variableName  variableClass )

Note that the variableClass must have already been declared -- eg. by loading a script which declares the class.

Return type: the empty List () is returned.

global

Declare one or more variables which are global in scope. Note that Carapace requires you to declare each global variable. If you attempt to use a global variable you haven't declared, an Error will be thrown.

Arguments:

It takes 1 or more two-element Lists where each list is of the form:

    ( globalVariableName  variableClass )

Note that the variableClass must have already been declared -- eg. by loading a script which declares the class.

Return type: the empty List () is returned.

create

Create an object -- this is used to create both built-in and script objects. This is a lazy function in that it doesn't evaluate its first argument.

Arguments:

Return type: the newly created object is returned.

createAux

Create an object allowing the type of object to be determined at runtime. The value of the first argument is a string which names the object type to be made.

Arguments:

Return type: the newly created object is returned.

getInterface

Get a given interface for an object. The interface can be identified by its name, its Guid or its number.

Arguments:

Return type: the new interface is returned.

. (dot operator)

The dot operator is used to access object properties and to invoke object methods. For further details, see the Carapace Script page.

export

Export a global variable so that child threads inherit a copy of the value.

The complete list of globals exported from this thread is held in the global list ::ExportedGlobals.

Arguments:

This takes one or more arguments, each of which is a Symbol which is the name of the variable to export.

Return type: the empty List () is returned.

isDefined

Test if the variable is defined.

Arguments:

Return type: if the symbol is defined, the Symbol which is the variable's type otherwise the empty List () is returned.

isFunction

Test if the supplied Symbol represents a function.

Arguments:

Return type: if the symbol is a function, the Symbol true otherwise the empty List () is returned.

isClass

Test if the supplied Symbol represents a class.

Arguments:

Return type: if the symbol is a class, the Symbol true otherwise the empty List () is returned.

join

Join a list of strings together.

Arguments:

Return type: String

length

Calculate the length of the argument - can work on multiple object types.

Arguments:

Return type: Integer

load

Load a package of script definitions. If an optional second argument of the empty List () is supplied, then the expressions in the file are not evaluated, and the result of the load is the List of expressions is returned.

Arguments:

Return type: Object - the value returned is the result evaluating the final expression in the package.

loadLibrary

Load a dynamic library and register the class and function definitions it contains.

Arguments:

Return type: the empty List () is returned.

print

Print the arguments, each on a new line.

Arguments:

This takes a variable number of arguments of any type.

Return type: the empty List () is returned.

printAux

Print the arguments with no newlines added.

Arguments:

This takes a variable number of arguments of any type.

Return type: the empty List () is returned.

printStackFrames

Print the evaluation stack frames -- useful for debugging scripts. The supplied frameName is one of the following values:

• all -- print all frames
• this -- print only the current frame
• parent -- print only the parent (i.e. the caller's) stack frame

Arguments:

Return type: the empty List () is returned.

reverse

Reverse the argument - works the following types:

• List
• String
• Binary

Arguments:

Return type: returns an object of the same type as the supplied argument

scramble

Scramble the supplied text. This modifies the first argument.

Arguments:

Return type: the empty List () is returned.

unscramble

Unscramble the supplied text. This modifies the first argument.

Arguments:

Return type: the empty List () is returned.

typeOf

Return the type of the argument. The supplied argument can be of any type.

Arguments:

Return type: String

This function can also be used to test the type of the argument -- ie. it acts as a predicate if the String name of the type expected is also supplied:

Arguments:

Return type: Object

faceOf

Return the interface no. of the argument. The supplied argument can be of any type.

Arguments:

Return type: the empty List () is returned.

isEmpty

Determine if the argument is empty -- many different data types have a sensible value for 'empty' as follows:

Arguments:

Return type: the Symbol true or the empty List () is returned.