Array

Inherits from Collection
Sealed

Array — Fixed-size indexed collection with O(log n) random access.

Arrays are immutable sequences backed by Erlang's array module. Use Array when you need efficient random access by index and the size is known up front. Literal syntax: #[elem, ...].

Unlike List (linked list, O(1) prepend) and Tuple (Erlang FFI interop), Array is the right choice for general-purpose indexed sequences in Beamtalk code.

BEAM Mapping

Backed by an Erlang array record wrapped in a tagged map: #{'$beamtalk_class' => 'Array', 'data' => ErlangArray}.

Examples

#[1, 2, 3] class            // => Array
#[1, 2, 3] size             // => 3
#[10, 20, 30] at: 2         // => 20
#[1, 2, 3] collect: [:x | x * 2]  // => #[2, 4, 6]

Class Methods

withAll: list source

Create an Array from a list of elements.

Examples

Array withAll: #(1, 2, 3)   // => #[1, 2, 3]
new: elements source

Create an Array from a list. Convenience alias for withAll:.

Examples

Array new: #(1, 2, 3)            // => #[1, 2, 3]

Instance Methods

size source

Number of elements in the array.

Examples

#[1, 2, 3] size              // => 3
#[] size                     // => 0
isEmpty source

Test if the array has no elements.

Examples

#[] isEmpty                  // => true
#[1] isEmpty                 // => false
at: index source

Return the element at the given 1-based index.

Raises index_out_of_bounds if the index is out of range.

Examples

#[10, 20, 30] at: 2          // => 20
#[10, 20, 30] at: 1          // => 10
at: index put: value source

Return a new array with the element at index replaced by value.

Raises index_out_of_bounds if the index is out of range.

Examples

(#[1, 2, 3] at: 2 put: 99)  // => #[1, 99, 3]
includes: element source

Test if the array contains the given element.

Examples

#[1, 2, 3] includes: 2       // => true
#[1, 2, 3] includes: 9       // => false
do: block source

Iterate over each element, evaluating block with each one.

Examples

#[1, 2, 3] do: [:x | Transcript show: x]
asArray source

An Array is already an Array — identity override of Collection>>asArray.

collect: block source

Map a block over the array, returning a new Array.

Examples

#[1, 2, 3] collect: [:x | x * 2]   // => #[2, 4, 6]
select: block source

Select elements for which block returns true, returning a new Array.

Examples

#[1, 2, 3, 4] select: [:x | x > 2]  // => #[3, 4]
inject: initial into: block source

Reduce the array with an accumulator.

Examples

#[1, 2, 3] inject: 0 into: [:acc :x | acc + x]   // => 6
printString source

Return a developer-readable string representation.

Examples

#[1, 2, 3] printString       // => "#[1, 2, 3]"

Inherited Methods

From Collection

size

Return the number of elements.

do: _block

Iterate over each element, evaluating block with each one.

printString

Return a developer-readable string representation.

species

Return the class used to build results from collection operations.

Used by collect:, select:, and reject: to return the same collection type as the receiver. Sealed subclasses override this.

Examples

#(1, 2) species         // => List
#[1, 2] species         // => Array
isEmpty

Test if the collection has no elements.

Examples

#() isEmpty                  // => true
#(1) isEmpty                 // => false
isNotEmpty

Test if the collection has at least one element.

Examples

#(1) isNotEmpty              // => true
#() isNotEmpty               // => false
includes: element

Test if the collection contains the given element.

Default implementation iterates with do: and returns early on match. Subclasses may override with more efficient lookup.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3) includes: 2      // => true
#(1, 2, 3) includes: 9      // => false
inject: initial into: block

Reduce the collection with an accumulator.

Evaluates block with (accumulator, element) for each element. Returns the final accumulator value.

Kept as @primitive because the pure-BT implementation using do: with local-variable mutation does not work for abstract-class methods: the compiler generates lists:foreach (no state threading) instead of lists:foldl. The Erlang helper calls the block as Block(Acc, Elem) (accumulator first) to match the Beamtalk block value: acc value: each convention expected by collect:, select:, and reject:.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3) inject: 0 into: [:sum :x | sum + x]  // => 6
collect: block

Collect results of evaluating block on each element.

Returns a collection of the same type as the receiver (species pattern). Builds the result in reverse using addFirst: then converts via species withAll:.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3) collect: [:x | x * 2]  // => #(2, 4, 6)
select: block

Select elements for which block returns true.

Returns a collection of the same type as the receiver (species pattern). Builds the result in reverse using addFirst: then converts via species withAll:.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3, 4) select: [:x | x > 2]  // => #(3, 4)
reject: block

Reject elements for which block returns true.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3, 4) reject: [:x | x > 2]  // => #(1, 2)
detect: block

Find the first element for which block returns true.

Returns nil if no element matches. Uses ^ (non-local return) for early exit — this compiles to throw/catch on BEAM.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3) detect: [:x | x > 1]     // => 2
detect: block ifNone: noneBlock

Find the first element matching block, or evaluate noneBlock if none.

Uses ^ (non-local return) for early exit — compiles to throw/catch on BEAM.

Examples

#(1, 2) detect: [:x | x > 5] ifNone: [0]  // => 0
anySatisfy: block

Test if any element satisfies block.

Uses ^ (non-local return) for early exit — compiles to throw/catch on BEAM.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3) anySatisfy: [:x | x > 2]  // => true
allSatisfy: block

Test if all elements satisfy block.

Uses ^ (non-local return) for early exit — compiles to throw/catch on BEAM.

Examples

#(2, 4, 6) allSatisfy: [:x | x isEven]  // => true
noneSatisfy: block

Test if no element satisfies block.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3) noneSatisfy: [:x | x > 5]  // => true
#(1, 2, 3) noneSatisfy: [:x | x > 2]  // => false
count: block

Count the elements for which block returns true.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3, 4) count: [:x | x > 2]   // => 2
#() count: [:x | x > 2]             // => 0
sum

Sum all elements. Returns 0 for an empty collection.

Uses native numeric addition (intended for Integer/Float); it does not dispatch a Beamtalk + message. Kept as @primitive because the pure-BT fold performs arithmetic on the generic element type E, which the gradual type checker cannot prove is numeric.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3) sum               // => 6
#() sum                      // => 0
max

Return the largest element.

Compares using the runtime's native total ordering (intended for Integer/Float) — it does not dispatch a Beamtalk > message, so a custom > method on the element type is not honoured. Raises a #beamtalk_error on an empty collection — there is no maximum of nothing.

Examples

#(3, 1, 4, 1, 5) max         // => 5
min

Return the smallest element.

Compares using the runtime's native total ordering (intended for Integer/Float) — it does not dispatch a Beamtalk < message. Raises a #beamtalk_error on an empty collection.

Examples

#(3, 1, 4, 1, 5) min         // => 1
average

Return the mean of the elements as a Float.

Uses native numeric addition (intended for Integer/Float). Raises a #beamtalk_error on an empty collection.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3, 4) average        // => 2.5
eachWithIndex: block

Iterate over each element with its 1-based index.

Evaluates block with (element, index) for each element.

Examples

#("a", "b") eachWithIndex: [:item :i | Transcript show: i]
do: block separatedBy: separatorBlock

Iterate over each element, evaluating separatorBlock between elements.

The separator runs between consecutive elements, not before the first or after the last. Useful for joining/formatting.

Examples

#(1, 2, 3) do: [:x | Transcript show: x] separatedBy: [Transcript show: ", "]
asList

Convert to a List, in iteration order.

List is the canonical eager sequence. Note: for a Dictionary this yields its values (consistent with do:); for a Bag, each element is repeated by its occurrence count.

Examples

(1 to: 3) asList                          // => #(1, 2, 3)
(Set withAll: #(1, 2, 3)) asList sort     // => #(1, 2, 3)
asArray

Convert to an Array.

Examples

(1 to: 3) asArray         // => #[1, 2, 3]
asSet

Convert to a Set, discarding duplicates.

Examples

#(1, 2, 2, 3) asSet size  // => 3
asBag

Convert to a Bag, counting occurrences.

Examples

(#(1, 1, 2) asBag) occurrencesOf: 1   // => 2
asString

Return a string representation.

From Value

printString

Return a developer-readable string representation showing fields.

Produces ClassName(field: value, ...) via the canonical structural renderer (ADR 0094). Field values are rendered with their own printString (strings stay quoted, nested values show their structural form), in sorted field order. A class with no fields produces ClassName(). Recursion is bounded by depth/width/length caps with a cycle guard.

Examples

ValuePoint x: 3 y: 4        printString   // => "ValuePoint(x: 3, y: 4)"
ValuePoint new              printString   // => "ValuePoint(x: 0, y: 0)"

From Object

class

Return the class of the receiver.

Examples

42 class              // => Integer
"hello" class         // => String
isNil

Test if the receiver is nil. Returns false for all objects except nil.

Examples

42 isNil              // => false
nil isNil             // => true
notNil

Test if the receiver is not nil. Returns true for all objects except nil.

Examples

42 notNil             // => true
nil notNil            // => false
ifNil: _nilBlock

If the receiver is nil, evaluate nilBlock. Otherwise return self.

Examples

42 ifNil: [0]         // => 42
nil ifNil: [0]        // => 0
ifNotNil: notNilBlock

If the receiver is not nil, evaluate notNilBlock with self.

Examples

42 ifNotNil: [:v | v + 1]   // => 43
nil ifNotNil: [:v | v + 1]  // => nil
ifNil: _nilBlock ifNotNil: notNilBlock

If nil, evaluate nilBlock; otherwise evaluate notNilBlock with self.

Examples

42 ifNil: [0] ifNotNil: [:v | v + 1]    // => 43
nil ifNil: [0] ifNotNil: [:v | v + 1]   // => 0
ifNotNil: notNilBlock ifNil: _nilBlock

If not nil, evaluate notNilBlock with self; otherwise evaluate nilBlock.

Examples

42 ifNotNil: [:v | v + 1] ifNil: [0]    // => 43
nil ifNotNil: [:v | v + 1] ifNil: [0]   // => 0
printString

Return the developer-readable (Debug) string representation.

printString is the Debug protocol (ADR 0094): the self-describing, structural form used by the REPL, logs, and by any other printString that nests this object. It is the REPL default — evaluating an expression shows its printString.

This default returns the bare class name (no a/an article — the old "a ClassName" form was dropped in ADR 0094). Value overrides it with the structural ClassName(field: value, ...) form, actors render as Actor(ClassName, pid), supervisors as Supervisor(ClassName, pid) / DynamicSupervisor(ClassName, pid), and primitive types (Integer, String, List, …) override it with their own richer output. Authors rarely override printString directly — the default is derived.

Examples

42 printString            // => "42"
displayString

Return the user-facing (Display) string representation.

displayString is the Display protocol (ADR 0094): the human-facing form. It is the hook the language pulls during string interpolation — every {...} segment renders via the value's displayString. Developers rarely call it directly; they override it when a value has a natural human rendering (e.g. Money$10.50, where printString would still show the Debug form).

It defaults to printString, so most types need no override. String and Symbol demonstrate the split: "hi" printString"\"hi\"" (quoted, Debug) while "hi" displayString"hi" (plain, Display); likewise #foo drops its # prefix under displayString.

displayString is not part of the Printable protocol (deferred per ADR 0094 §5).

Examples

42 displayString             // => "42"
inspect

Open a navigable Inspector cursor on the receiver.

ADR 0095 Phase 3 (BT-2504). inspect is repurposed from -> String (the ADR-0094 deferral) to the verb that produces an Inspector — a live, immutable cursor for drilling into the object (Inspector on: self). anObject inspect is the shorthand; Inspector on: anObject is the explicit spelling. The cursor exposes fields/at:/path/refresh/ printString (an indented text tree) and asDictionaries (the MCP/browser wire form); see Inspector.

This is a breaking change: code that used inspect for its old String result must switch to printString (the structural Debug string, ADR 0094) — a transitional lint flags inspect used directly in ++/ string position.

Examples

42 inspect kind                  // => #value
(Point x: 3 y: 4) inspect fields size   // => 2
(Point x: 3 y: 4) printString    // => "Point(x: 3, y: 4)"  (the old inspect string)
yourself Sealed

Return the receiver itself. Useful for cascading side effects.

Examples

42 yourself            // => 42
hash

Return a hash value for the receiver.

Examples

42 hash
respondsTo: selector Sealed

Test if the receiver responds to the given selector.

Examples

42 respondsTo: #abs    // => true
fieldNames Sealed

Return the names of fields.

Examples

42 fieldNames             // => #()
fieldAt: name Sealed

Return the value of the named field.

Examples

object fieldAt: #name
fieldAt: name put: value Sealed

Set the value of the named field (returns new state).

Examples

object fieldAt: #name put: "Alice"
perform: selector Sealed

Send a unary message dynamically.

Examples

42 perform: #abs       // => 42
perform: selector withArguments: args Sealed

Send a message dynamically with arguments.

Examples

3 perform: #max: withArguments: #(5)   // => 5
subclassResponsibility

Raise an error indicating this method must be overridden by a subclass.

Examples

self subclassResponsibility
notImplemented

Raise an error indicating this method has not yet been implemented.

Use this for work-in-progress stubs. Distinct from subclassResponsibility, which signals an interface contract violation.

Examples

self notImplemented
show: aValue

Send aValue to the current transcript without a trailing newline.

Nil-safe: does nothing when no transcript is set (batch compile, tests).

Examples

42 show: "value: "
showCr: aValue

Send aValue to the current transcript followed by a newline.

Nil-safe: does nothing when no transcript is set (batch compile, tests).

Examples

42 showCr: "hello world"
isKindOf: aClass

Test if the receiver is an instance of aClass or any of its subclasses.

For class-object receivers, follows Smalltalk semantics: self class is the metaclass, so the check walks the parallel metaclass hierarchy. The parallel chain is grounded at ProtoObject class superclass == Class (ADR 0036), so the metaclass tower merges into the instance-side Class → Behaviour → Object → ProtoObject chain. As a result, Integer isKindOf: Object and Integer isKindOf: Class both return true.

Examples

42 isKindOf: Integer        // => true
42 isKindOf: Object         // => true
#foo isKindOf: Symbol       // => true
#foo isKindOf: String       // => false
Integer isKindOf: Number    // => false (metaclass chain, not instance chain)
Integer isKindOf: Number class  // => true  (Number class is in the parallel chain)
Integer isKindOf: Object    // => true (grounded — Object is reachable via the metaclass tower)
Integer isKindOf: Class     // => true (Integer class inherits from Class)
error: message

Raise an error with the given message.

Examples

self error: "something went wrong"
delegate Sealed

Delegate message dispatch to the backing Erlang module (ADR 0101, BT-2720).

This method is a sentinel — a plain Object has no backing Erlang module, so calling delegate raises an Error at runtime. Stateless Objects declared with native: have their self delegate method bodies rewritten by the compiler's codegen phase to call the backing module directly, so the sentinel is never reached on a native: class.

Unlike Actor's delegate (visible only to Actor subclasses), this Object-base sentinel is visible to every class, so delegate is a reserved selector on the Object protocol.

Examples

42 delegate   // => ERROR: delegate called on a non-native Object

From ProtoObject

== other

Test value equality (Erlang ==).

Examples

42 == 42           // => true
"abc" == "abc"     // => true
/= other

Test value inequality (negation of ==).

Examples

1 /= 2             // => true
42 /= 42           // => false
class

Return the class of the receiver.

Examples

42 class            // => Integer
"hello" class       // => String
doesNotUnderstand: selector args: arguments

Handle messages the receiver does not understand. Override for custom dispatch.

Examples

42 unknownMessage   // => ERROR: does_not_understand
perform: selector withArguments: arguments

Send a message dynamically with an arguments list.

Examples

42 perform: #abs withArguments: #()   // => 42
performLocally: selector withArguments: arguments

Execute a class method in the caller's process, bypassing gen_server dispatch.

The caller takes responsibility for knowing the method does not mutate class state. Useful for long-running class methods that would otherwise block the class object's gen_server.

Limitations: only resolves methods defined directly on the target class module (does not walk the superclass chain). Class variables and self are not available to the method (nil and #{} are passed).

Examples

MyClass performLocally: #run:ctx: withArguments: #(input, ctx)
perform: selector withArguments: arguments timeout: timeoutMs

Send a message dynamically with an arguments list and explicit timeout.

The timeout (in milliseconds or #infinity) applies to the gen_server:call when the receiver is an actor. For value types, timeout is ignored.

Examples

actor perform: #query withArguments: #(sql) timeout: 30000