/interpreter/tags/at2dist041108/src/edu/vub/at/objects/grammar/ATMultiDefinition.java

 1/**
 2 * AmbientTalk/2 Project
 3 * ATMultiDefinition.java created on 18-aug-2006 at 10:12:03
 4 * (c) Programming Technology Lab, 2006 - 2007
 5 * Authors: Tom Van Cutsem & Stijn Mostinckx
 6 * 
 7 * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
 8 * obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation
 9 * files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without
10 * restriction, including without limitation the rights to use,
11 * copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or
12 * sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
13 * Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following
14 * conditions:
15 *
16 * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
17 * included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
18 *
19 * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
20 * EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES
21 * OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
22 * NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT
23 * HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY,
24 * WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
25 * FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR
26 * OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
27 */
28package edu.vub.at.objects.grammar;
29
30import edu.vub.at.objects.ATTable;
31
32/**
33 * The public interface to a multiple definition AG element.
34 * 
35 * <p>
36 * Example:<code>def [x, y] := [1, 2]</code>
37 * </p><p>
38 * <p>
39 * By using splicing in the left-hand expression, this can be
40 * used to split up tables: <code>def [x, @y] := [1, 2, 3, 4]</code>
41 * </p>
42 *  
43 *  @author tvc
44 */
45public interface ATMultiDefinition extends ATDefinition {
46	
47	/**
48	 * The left-hand side of the definition must be a literal table.
49	 * Slicing is allowed at the end.
50	 * Example: <code>`{ def [ x, y ] := [ y, x ] }.statements[1].parameters == `[x, y]</code>
51	 * @return a table with valid left-expressions
52	 */
53	public ATTable base_parameters();
54	
55	/**
56	 * The right-hand side of the definition may be any valid AmbientTalk expression
57	 * that evaluates to a native table
58	 * Example: <code>`{ def [ x, y ] := [ y, x ] }.statements[1].valueExpression == `[y, x]</code>
59	 * @return the value expression
60	 */
61	public ATExpression base_valueExpression();
62	
63}