Ddoc

$(SPEC_S Properties,

	$(P Every type and expression has properties that can be queried:)

$(TABLE2 Property Examples,
$(TR $(TH Expression)	$(TH Value))
$(TR $(TD int.sizeof)	$(TD yields 4))
$(TR $(TD float.nan)	$(TD yields the floating point nan (Not A Number) value))
$(TR $(TD (float).nan)	$(TD yields the floating point nan value))
$(TR $(TD (3).sizeof)	$(TD yields 4 (because 3 is an int)))
$(TR $(TD 2.sizeof)	$(TD syntax error, since "2." is a floating point number))
$(TR $(TD int.init)	$(TD default initializer for int's))
$(TR $(TD int.mangleof)	$(TD yields the string "i"))
$(TR $(TD int.stringof)	$(TD yields the string "int"))
$(TR $(TD (1+2).stringof)	$(TD yields the string "1 + 2"))
)

$(BR)

$(TABLE2 Properties for All Types,
$(TR $(TH Property)	$(TH Description))
$(TR $(TD $(LINK2 #init, .init))	$(TD initializer))
$(TR $(TD $(LINK2 #sizeof, .sizeof))	$(TD size in bytes (equivalent to C's sizeof(type))))
$(TR $(TD $(LINK2 #alignof, .alignof))	$(TD alignment size))
$(TR $(TD $(LINK2 #mangleof, .mangleof))	$(TD string representing the $(SINGLEQUOTE mangled) representation of the type))
$(TR $(TD $(LINK2 #stringof, .stringof))	$(TD string representing the source representation of the type))
)

$(BR)

$(TABLE2 Properties for Integral Types,
$(TR $(TH Property)	$(TH Description))
$(TR $(TD .init)	$(TD initializer (0)))
$(TR $(TD .max)		$(TD maximum value))
$(TR $(TD .min)		$(TD minimum value))
)

$(BR)

$(TABLE2 Properties for Floating Point Types,
$(TR $(TH Property)	$(TH Description))
$(TR $(TD .init)	$(TD initializer (NaN)))
$(TR $(TD .infinity)	$(TD infinity value))
$(TR $(TD .nan)		$(TD NaN value))
$(TR $(TD .dig)		$(TD number of decimal digits of precision))
$(TR $(TD .epsilon)	$(TD smallest increment to the value 1))
$(TR $(TD .mant_dig)	$(TD number of bits in mantissa))
$(TR $(TD .max_10_exp)	$(TD maximum int value such that 10<sup>max_10_exp</sup> is representable))
$(TR $(TD .max_exp)	$(TD maximum int value such that 2<sup>max_exp-1</sup> is representable))
$(TR $(TD .min_10_exp)	$(TD minimum int value such that 10<sup>min_10_exp</sup> is representable as a normalized value))
$(TR $(TD .min_exp)	$(TD minimum int value such that 2<sup>min_exp-1</sup> is representable as a normalized value))
$(TR $(TD .max)		$(TD largest representable value that's not infinity))
$(V1 $(TR $(TD .min)		$(TD smallest representable normalized value that's not 0)))
$(V2 $(TR $(TD .min_normal)	$(TD smallest representable normalized value that's not 0)))
$(TR $(TD .re)		$(TD real part))
$(TR $(TD .im)		$(TD imaginary part))
)

$(BR)

$(TABLE2 Properties for Class Types,
$(TR $(TH Property)	$(TH Description))
$(TR $(TD $(LINK2 #classinfo, .classinfo))	$(TD Information about the dynamic type of the class))
)

$(SECTION2 $(LNAME2 init, .init) Property,

	$(P $(B .init) produces a constant expression that is the default
	initializer. If applied to a type, it is the default initializer
	for that type. If applied to a variable or field, it is the
	default initializer for that variable or field.
	For example:
	)

----------------
int a;
int b = 1;
typedef int t = 2;
t c;
t d = cast(t)3;

int.init	// is 0
a.init		// is 0
b.init		// is 0
t.init		// is 2
c.init		// is 2
d.init		// is 2

struct Foo
{
    int a;
    int b = 7;
}

Foo.a.init	// is 0
Foo.b.init	// is 7
----------------
)

$(SECTION2 $(LNAME2 stringof, .stringof) Property,

	$(P $(B .stringof) produces a constant string that is the
	source representation of its prefix.
	If applied to a type, it is the string for that type.
	If applied to an expression, it is the source representation
	of that expression. Semantic analysis is not done
	for that expression.
	For example:
	)

----------------
struct Foo { }

enum Enum { RED }

typedef int myint;

void main()
{
    writefln((1+2).stringof);       // "1 + 2"
    writefln(Foo.stringof);         // "Foo"
    writefln(test.Foo.stringof);    // "test.Foo"
    writefln(int.stringof);         // "int"
    writefln((int*[5][]).stringof); // "int*[5][]"
    writefln(Enum.RED.stringof);    // "Enum.RED"
    writefln(test.myint.stringof);  // "test.myint"
    writefln((5).stringof);         // "5"
}
----------------
)

$(SECTION2 $(LNAME2 sizeof, .sizeof Property),

	$(P $(CODE $(I e).sizeof) gives the size in bytes of the expression
	$(I e).
	)

	$(P When getting the size of a member, it is not necessary for
	there to be a $(I this) object:
	)

---
struct S {
    int a;
    static int foo() {
	return a.sizeof;   // returns 4
    }
}

void test() {
    int x = S.a.sizeof;    // sets x to 4
}
---

	$(P $(CODE .sizeof) applied to a class object returns the size of
	the class reference, not the class instantiation.)

)

$(SECTION2 $(LNAME2 alignof, .alignof Property),

	$(P $(CODE .alignof) gives the aligned size of an expression or type.
	For example, an aligned size of 1 means that it is aligned on
	a byte boundary, 4 means it is aligned on a 32 bit boundary.
	)
)

$(SECTION2 $(LNAME2 classinfo, .classinfo) Property,

	$(P $(CODE .classinfo) provides information about the dynamic type
	of a class object.
	$(V1 It returns a reference to type $(LINK2 phobos/object.html, object.ClassInfo).)
	$(V2 It returns a reference to type $(LINK2 phobos/object.html#TypeInfo_Class, object.TypeInfo_Class).)
	)
)

$(SECTION3 $(LNAME2 classproperties, User Defined Class and Struct Properties),

	$(P Properties are member functions that can be syntactically treated
	as if they were fields. Properties can be read from or written to.
	A property is read by calling a method with no arguments;
	a property is written by calling a method with its argument
	being the value it is set to.
	)

	$(P A simple property would be:)

$(V1
----------------
struct Foo
{
    int data() { return m_data; }	// read property

    int data(int value) { return m_data = value; } // write property

  private:
    int m_data;
}
----------------
)
$(V2
----------------
struct Foo
{
    @property int data() { return m_data; }	// read property

    @property int data(int value) { return m_data = value; } // write property

  private:
    int m_data;
}
----------------

	$(P Properties are marked with the $(CODE @property) attribute.
	Properties may only have zero or one parameter, and may not be variadic.
	Property functions may not be overloaded with non-property functions.
	)
)
	$(P To use it:)

----------------
int test()
{
    Foo f;

    f.data = 3;		// same as f.data(3);
    return f.data + 3;	// same as return f.data() + 3;
}
----------------

	$(P The absence of a read method means that the property is write-only.
	The absence of a write method means that the property is read-only.
	Multiple write methods can exist; the correct one is selected using
	the usual function overloading rules.
	)

	$(P In all the other respects, these methods are like any other methods.
	They can be static, have different linkages, $(V1 be overloaded with
	methods with multiple parameters,) have their address taken, etc.
	)

	$(P $(B Note:) Properties currently cannot be the lvalue of an
	$(I op)=, ++, or -- operator.
	)
)

)

Macros:
	TITLE=Properties
	 WIKI=Property