Creating an object in an object-oriented programming platform
An application programming interface is provided in an object-oriented programming platform for developing applications. A method comprises, in response to a first message received at a first object that contains one or more properties, creating a second object that responds to a second message sent thereto responsive to sending of the first message to the first object and returning the second object. By returning, for example, key-value collection proxies by specific key-value coding methods a read-only or a read-write access may be allowed to a collection of a container object's related objects. A specific implementation of one object's class may change over time without requiring changes in another object's implementation.
1. A method for providing an application programming interface in an object-oriented programming platform, the method comprising:
receiving, at a key-value coding module, a first message sent to a container object that identifies a collection object and an operation, wherein the collection object is a property of the container object;
in response to receiving the first message, creating, by the key-value coding module, a collection proxy object corresponding to the collection object;
returning, by the key-value coding module, the collection proxy object; and
sending, by the collection proxy object, at least one second message to the container object to perform the operation on the collection object; and
sending a response to the first message based on the result of the operation.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a string parameter identifying the container object and the collection object; and
in response to the receiving the string, returning the collection proxy object.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation is a request for a writable version of the collection object, and further comprising:
sending a writable version of the collection proxy object as the response to the first message.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation is a request for a read only version of the collection object, and further comprising:
sending a read only version of the collection proxy object as the response to the first message.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the key-value coding module, that the collection object is key-value coding compliant; and
creating the collection proxy object when the collection object is key-value coding compliant.
6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes:
receiving, at a key-value coding module, a first message sent to a container object that identifies a collection object and an operation, wherein the collection object is a property of the container object;
in response to receiving the first message, creating, by the key-value coding module, a collection proxy object corresponding to the collection object; and
returning, by the key-value coding module, the collection proxy object; and
sending, by the collection proxy object, at least one second message to the container object to perform the operation on the collection object; and
sending a response to the first message based on the result of the operation.
7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the instructions cause:
receiving a string that identifies a property of the container object, the property corresponding to the collection object; and
in response to the string, return a value for the property for the container object, the value corresponding to the collection proxy object.
8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the operation is a request for a writable version of the collection object, and wherein the instructions cause:
sending a writable version of the collection proxy object as the response to the first message.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the operation is a request for a read only version of the collection object, and wherein the instructions cause:
sending a read only version of the collection proxy object as the response to the first message.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the instructions cause:
determining, by the key-value coding module, that the collection object is key-value coding compliant; and
creating the collection proxy object when the collection object is key-value coding compliant.
11. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a computer-readable storage medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes:
receiving, at a key-value coding module, a first message sent to a container object that identifies a collection object and an operation, wherein the collection object is a property of the container object;
in response to receiving the first message, creating, by the key-value coding module, a collection proxy object corresponding to the collection object;
returning, by the key-value coding module, the collection proxy object; and
sending, by the collection proxy object, at least one second message to the container object to perform the operation on the collection object; and
sending a response to the first message based on the result of the operation.
12. The object oriented computing system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause:
receiving a string that identifies a property of the container object, the property corresponding to the collection object; and
in response to the string, return a value for the property for the container object, the value corresponding to the collection proxy objects.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operation is a request for a writable version of the collection object, and wherein the instructions cause:
sending a writable version of the collection proxy object as the response to the first message.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operation is a request for a read only version of the collection object, and wherein the instructions cause:
sending a read only version of the collection proxy object as the response to the first message.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause:
determining, by the key-value coding module, that the collection object is key-value coding compliant; and
creating the collection proxy object when the collection object is key-value coding compliant.