getClass               package:methods               R Documentation

_G_e_t _C_l_a_s_s _D_e_f_i_n_i_t_i_o_n

_D_e_s_c_r_i_p_t_i_o_n:

     Get the definition of a class.

_U_s_a_g_e:

     getClass(Class, .Force = FALSE)
     getClassDef(Class, where=-1)

_A_r_g_u_m_e_n_t_s:

   Class: the character-string name of the class.

  .Force: if `TRUE', return `NULL' if the class is undefined;
          otherwise, an undefined class results in an error.

   where: where to search for the definition; by default, anywhere on
          the current search list.

_D_e_t_a_i_l_s:

     A call to `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 `getClassDef' returns the
     definition of the class from the environment `where', unadorned. 
     It's usually `getClass' you want.

     If you really want to know whether a class is formally defined,
     call `isClass'.

_V_a_l_u_e:

     The object defining the class.  This is an object of class
     `"classRepEnvironment"'.  However, 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 `setClass' and `setIs'. Messing up a class
     object will cause great confusion.

_A_u_t_h_o_r(_s):

     John Chambers

_R_e_f_e_r_e_n_c_e_s:

     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 Programming with Data (John M. Chambers,
     Springer, 1998).  See this book for further details and examples.

_S_e_e _A_l_s_o:

     Classes, `setClass', `isClass'.

_E_x_a_m_p_l_e_s:

     getClass("numeric") ## a built in class

