\Header{getClass}{Get Class Definition}
\alias{getClassDef}{getClass}
\keyword{programming}{getClass}
\keyword{classes}{getClass}
\begin{Description}\relax
Get the definition of a class.\end{Description}
\begin{Usage}
\begin{verbatim}
getClass(Class, .Force = FALSE)
getClassDef(Class, where=-1)
\end{verbatim}
\end{Usage}
\begin{Arguments}
\begin{ldescription}
\item[\code{Class}] the character-string name of the class.
\item[\code{.Force}] if \code{TRUE}, return \code{NULL} if the class is
undefined; otherwise, an undefined class results in an error.
\item[\code{where}] where to search for the definition; by default,
anywhere on the current search list.
\end{ldescription}
\end{Arguments}
\begin{Details}\relax
A call to \code{getClass} returns the complete definition of the class
supplied as a string, including all slots, etc. in classes that this
class extends.  A call to \code{getClassDef} returns the definition of
the class from the environment \code{where}, unadorned.  It's usually \code{getClass}
you want.

If you really want to know whether a class is formally
defined, call \code{\Link{isClass}}.\end{Details}
\begin{Value}
The object defining the class.  This is an object of class
\code{"classRepEnvironment"}.  However, \emph{do not} deal with the
contents of the object directly unless you are very sure you know what
you're doing.  Even then, it is nearly always better practice to use
functions such as \code{\Link{setClass}} and \code{\Link{setIs}}.
Messing up a class object will cause great confusion.\end{Value}
\begin{Author}\relax
John Chambers\end{Author}
\begin{References}\relax
The web page \url{http://www.omegahat.org/RSMethods/index.html} is the
primary documentation.

The functions in this package emulate the facility for classes and
methods described in \emph{Programming with Data} (John M. Chambers,
Springer, 1998).  See this book for further details and examples.\end{References}
\begin{SeeAlso}\relax
\link{Classes},
\code{\Link{setClass}},
\code{\Link{isClass}}.\end{SeeAlso}
\begin{Examples}
\begin{ExampleCode}
getClass("numeric") ## a built in class


\end{ExampleCode}
\end{Examples}

