Tuple
Tuple — Erlang interop type for fixed-size heterogeneous collections.
Tuples exist primarily for interoperability with Erlang/OTP code. They map directly to Erlang tuples on the BEAM.
FFI Result conversion (ADR 0076): Erlang functions that return
{ok, Value} or {error, Reason} tuples are automatically converted
to Result objects at the FFI boundary. This means most Erlang calls
that follow the ok/error convention return Result, not Tuple.
Tuples are still returned for non-ok/error patterns (e.g., erlang:timestamp).
For ok/error tuples received outside the FFI boundary (e.g., from Erlang
messages), use Result fromTuple: to explicitly convert:
Result fromTuple: (Tuple withAll: #(#ok, 42)) // => Result ok: 42
The Tuple methods isOk, isError, unwrap, and unwrapOr: remain
available for working with tuples from non-FFI sources.
For general-purpose collections, prefer List, Dictionary, or Array.
BEAM Mapping
Beamtalk tuples map directly to Erlang tuples.
Examples
// Constructing tuples
t := Tuple withAll: #(1, 2, 3)
t at: 1 // => 1
t size // => 3
// Working with ok/error tuples from non-FFI sources
result := Tuple withAll: #(#ok, 42)
result isOk ifTrue: [result unwrap] // => 42
result unwrapOr: 0 // => 42
Methods
Class Methods
Create a Tuple from a list of elements.
Used by the species pattern on Collection so that collect: and
select: on a Tuple return a Tuple.
Examples
Tuple class withAll: #(1, 2, 3) // => {1, 2, 3}
Create a Tuple from a list. Convenience alias for withAll:.
Examples
Tuple new: #(1, 2, 3) // => {1, 2, 3}
Instance Methods
Number of elements in the tuple.
Examples
result size // => 2 (e.g., an {ok, Value} tuple)
Return the element at the given 1-based index.
Examples
result at: 2 // => the value from an {ok, Value} tuple
Test if the tuple represents an {'ok', _} result.
Examples
result isOk // => true when result is {ok, _}
Test if the tuple represents an {'error', _} result.
Examples
result isError // => true when result is {error, _}
Extract the value from an {'ok', Value} tuple, or raise on {'error', Reason}.
Examples
result unwrap // => 42 when result is {ok, 42}
Extract the value from an {'ok', Value} tuple, or return default on error.
Examples
result unwrapOr: 0 // => 0 when result is {error, _}
Extract the value from an {'ok', Value} tuple, or evaluate block on error.
Examples
result unwrapOrElse: [0] // => 0 when result is {error, _}
Convert the tuple to its string representation.
Examples
result asString // => "{ok,42}"
Return the human-readable representation of the tuple.
Examples
result printString // => "{ok,42}"
Override inspect to use printString rather than the field-based format defined in Value. Tuples are primitives, not map-based value objects.
Iterate over each element, evaluating block with each one.
Examples
result do: [:x | Transcript show: x]
Return a random element from the tuple.
Examples
result atRandom // => random element from result tuple
Inherited Methods
From Collection
Return the number of elements.
Iterate over each element, evaluating block with each one.
Return a developer-readable string representation.
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
Test if the collection has no elements.
Examples
#() isEmpty // => true
#(1) isEmpty // => false
Test if the collection has at least one element.
Examples
#(1) isNotEmpty // => true
#() isNotEmpty // => false
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
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 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 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 elements for which block returns true.
Examples
#(1, 2, 3, 4) reject: [:x | x > 2] // => #(1, 2)
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
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
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
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
Return a string representation.
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