Number
Number — Abstract superclass for numeric types.
Provides shared numeric protocol for Integer and Float. Cannot be instantiated directly — use Integer or Float instead.
Examples
0 isZero // => true
5 isPositive // => true
-3 isNegative // => true
Methods
Instance Methods
Strict equality comparison.
Strict inequality comparison.
Less than.
Greater than.
Less than or equal.
Greater than or equal.
Test if the receiver is zero.
Examples
0 isZero // => true
5 isZero // => false
Test if the receiver is positive (greater than zero).
Examples
5 isPositive // => true
-3 isPositive // => false
0 isPositive // => false
Test if the receiver is negative (less than zero).
Examples
-3 isNegative // => true
5 isNegative // => false
Return 1 for positive, -1 for negative, 0 for zero.
Examples
42 sign // => 1
-7 sign // => -1
0 sign // => 0
Test if the receiver is between min and max (inclusive).
Examples
5 between: 1 and: 10 // => true
15 between: 1 and: 10 // => false
Override inspect to use printString rather than the field-based format defined in Value. Numbers are primitives, not map-based value objects.
Inherited Methods
From Value
Return a developer-readable string representation showing fields.
Produces ClassName(field: value, ...). Field values are recursively
inspected — strings are quoted, nested objects show their own inspect.
A class with no fields produces ClassName().
Examples
ValuePoint x: 3 y: 4 inspect // => "ValuePoint(x: 3, y: 4)"
ValuePoint new inspect // => "ValuePoint(x: 0, y: 0)"
From Object
Return the class of the receiver.
Examples
42 class // => Integer
"hello" class // => String
Test if the receiver is nil. Returns false for all objects except nil.
Examples
42 isNil // => false
nil isNil // => true
Test if the receiver is not nil. Returns true for all objects except nil.
Examples
42 notNil // => true
nil notNil // => false
If the receiver is nil, evaluate nilBlock. Otherwise return self.
Examples
42 ifNil: [0] // => 42
nil ifNil: [0] // => 0
If the receiver is not nil, evaluate notNilBlock with self.
Examples
42 ifNotNil: [:v | v + 1] // => 43
nil ifNotNil: [:v | v + 1] // => nil
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
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
Return a developer-readable string representation.
Default implementation returns "a ClassName". Subclasses such as
Integer, String, and List override this to return richer output.
Examples
42 printString // => "42"
Return a user-facing string representation for display purposes.
Default implementation delegates to printString. Subclasses such as
String and Symbol override this to return a more readable form without
developer annotations (e.g. no surrounding quotes or # prefix).
Examples
42 displayString // => "42"
Inspect the receiver.
Examples
42 inspect // => "42"
Return the receiver itself. Useful for cascading side effects.
Examples
42 yourself // => 42
Return a hash value for the receiver.
Examples
42 hash
Test if the receiver responds to the given selector.
Examples
42 respondsTo: #abs // => true
Return the names of fields.
Examples
42 fieldNames // => #()
Return the value of the named field.
Examples
object fieldAt: #name
Set the value of the named field (returns new state).
Examples
object fieldAt: #name put: "Alice"
Send a unary message dynamically.
Examples
42 perform: #abs // => 42
Send a message dynamically with arguments.
Examples
3 perform: #max: withArguments: #(5) // => 5
Raise an error indicating this method must be overridden by a subclass.
Examples
self subclassResponsibility
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
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: "
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"
Test if the receiver is an instance of aClass or any of its subclasses.
Examples
42 isKindOf: Integer // => true
42 isKindOf: Object // => true
#foo isKindOf: Symbol // => true
#foo isKindOf: String // => false
Raise an error with the given message.
Examples
self error: "something went wrong"
From ProtoObject
Test value equality (Erlang ==).
Examples
42 == 42 // => true
"abc" == "abc" // => true
Test value inequality (negation of ==).
Examples
1 /= 2 // => true
42 /= 42 // => false
Return the class of the receiver.
Examples
42 class // => Integer
"hello" class // => String
Handle messages the receiver does not understand. Override for custom dispatch.
Examples
42 unknownMessage // => ERROR: does_not_understand
Send a message dynamically with an arguments list.
Examples
42 perform: #abs withArguments: #() // => 42
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)
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