Type extensions

• US 20070050168A1
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Silver, Amanda, Beckman, Brian, Meijer, Henricus, Vick, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,032,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/119
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4492 Inheritance

Abstract

A system for extending data types in software comprises an extension unit that modifies an arbitrary preexisting base data type, the preexisting base data type having at least one member. The system also includes a supplemental member that is included with the extension unit and that provides additional functionality to the preexisting base type. Methods for using the system are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for extending data types in software, comprising:

an extension unit that modifies an arbitrary preexisting base data type, the preexisting base data type having at least one member; and

a supplemental member that is included with the extension unit and that provides additional functionality to the preexisting base type.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the arbitrary preexisting base type is at least one of a class, an interface, and a constructed type.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the supplemental member is a shared member.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the supplemental member is limited such that the supplemental member cannot access members of the arbitrary preexisting base type that are inaccessible to an extending compilation unit.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the supplemental member is limited such that the supplemental member cannot override another member.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the supplemental member is limited such that the supplemental member cannot declare a shared constructor.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the supplemental member is limited such that the supplemental member cannot declare a nested type.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the supplemental member is limited such that an instance constructor cannot call a non-public constructor.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the supplemental member is limited such that the supplemental member cannot declare a static local member.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the supplemental member can declare a static local member through use of at least one of a look-aside table and direct run-time support.

11. A method for extending capacities of software data types, comprising:

declaring an extension for an arbitrary preexisting data type, the preexisting data type including at least one member; and

creating a supplemental member for the extension that provides at least one additional capacity for the arbitrary preexisting data type.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein declaring an extension for an arbitrary preexisting data type includes extending at least one of a class, an interface, and a constructed type.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising limiting the supplemental member such that at least one attribute of the supplemental member consists of an attribute wherein the supplemental member cannot access members of the arbitrary preexisting base type that are inaccessible to an extending compilation unit, the supplemental member cannot override another member, the supplemental member cannot declare a shared constructor, the supplemental member cannot declare a nested type, an instance constructor of the supplemental member cannot call a non-public constructor, and the supplemental member cannot declare a static local member.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the supplemental member can declare a static local member through use of at least one of a look-aside table and direct run-time support.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein creating a supplemental member includes using a shared member.

16. A system for extending capacities of software data types, comprising:

means for declaring an extension for an arbitrary preexisting data type, the preexisting data type including at least one member; and

means for creating a supplemental member for the extension that provides at least one additional capacity for the arbitrary preexisting data type.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for declaring an extension for an arbitrary preexisting data type includes means for extending at least one of a class, an interface, and a constructed type.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for limiting the supplemental member such that at least one attribute of the supplemental member consists of an attribute wherein the supplemental member cannot access members of the arbitrary preexisting base type that are inaccessible to an extending compilation unit, the supplemental member cannot override another member, the supplemental member cannot declare a shared constructor, the supplemental member cannot declare a nested type, an instance constructor of the supplemental member cannot call a non-public constructor, and the supplemental member cannot declare a static local member.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the supplemental member can declare a static local member through use of at least one of a look-aside table and direct run-time support.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for creating a supplemental member includes means for using a shared member.