[Lib] Classy - a C++ esque class and struct implementation

[TheZombieKiller]

https://github.com/DaZombieKiller/classy

Classy provides a C++ esque class and struct implementation for Lua, offering the following syntax:

Code: Select all

class "ExampleClass"
{
    -- Class constructor
    ExampleClass = function(self)
        print "Hello, world!"
    end;

    -- Sample method
    MyMethod = function(self)
        print "ExampleClass MyMethod"
    end;
}

struct "ExampleStruct"
{
    -- Structs do not require constructors, but classes do.
    -- If a struct inherits from a class, it will inherit its constructor.
    x = 0;
    y = 0;
    z = 0;
}

See the included example file for a more detailed look at Classy.
This was actually a library I originally made around a year ago, but today I decided to re-write it from the ground up, which proved to be quite beneficial.

[marco.lizza]

NIce effort... but, quite frankly, what's the point? This only resemble C++ syntax for the presence of the class/struct "keyword" and the usage of the outermost brackets. In my opinion it distracts/confuses more than what helps.

[Tanner]

I didn't know that you could use semi-colons to separate table values in Lua. That combined with your use of function chaining to take additional arguments without using parentheses makes this into an (I think) compelling idiom. Clever!

[TheZombieKiller]

In my opinion it distracts/confuses more than what helps.

Fair enough, I can see where you're coming from. My primary drive for creating this library was that I simply preferred the way classes are done in C/C++ esque languages, and wanted to be able to do it in Lua. It's heavily a matter of opinion I guess.

That combined with your use of function chaining to take additional arguments without using parentheses makes this into an (I think) compelling idiom. Clever!

Thanks!

[marco.lizza]

My primary drive for creating this library was that I simply preferred the way classes are done in C/C++ esque languages, and wanted to be able to do it in Lua.

I see.

This is quite a debate. Since the very beginning I always read that almost everybody dislike Lua syntax. I do not, although I admit it's a bit redundant.

Have you checked out Squirrel language, by the way?

It's heavily a matter of opinion I guess.

Once again, I agree with you. Just to be clear, I really don't mean to say that your library is useless or something like that. It really serves well it's purpose... but I simply prefer to go "vanilla" and use Lua as it is and/or by implementing classes in the most light and plain way.

I really don't like to put abstraction, redefinition and and overhead layers on top of the language itself. For example, I admire MoonScript as a projects, but I won't be using it no matter what. If I need a more abstract language, I go for another without tweaking the existing one.

[TheZombieKiller]

I've taken a brief look at Squirrel, although other than Lua, I've only ever embedded AngelScript into my projects.

[airstruck]

This must be great news for anyone who was about to switch to C++ for the sake of convenience. I guess namespaces will be the next logical step?

[TheZombieKiller]

Overhauled the inheritance functionality, it is now used like this:

Code: Select all

class "ExampleClass"
{
	-- Class constructor
	ExampleClass = function(self)
		print "Hello, world!"
	end;
	
	-- Sample method
	MyMethod = function(self)
		print "ExampleClass MyMethod"
	end;
}

class "InheritanceExample" : ExampleClass
{
	-- Inherits all methods (including constructor) from ExampleClass
	
	MyMethod = function(self)
		print "InheritanceExample MyMethod"
	end;
}