# R: Create a Class Definition

makeClassRepresentation {methods} | R Documentation

## Create a Class Definition

### Description

Constructs a `classRepresentation-class` object to describe a particular class. Mostly a utility function, but you can call it to create a class definition without assigning it, as `setClass` would do.

### Usage

    makeClassRepresentation(name, slots=list(), superClasses=character(),
                            prototype=NULL, package, validity, access,
                            version, sealed, virtual=NA, where)

### Arguments

`name` | character string name for the class
`slots` | named list of slot classes as would be supplied to `setClass`, but without the unnamed arguments for superClasses if any.
`superClasses` | what classes does this class extend
`prototype` | an object providing the default data for the class, e.g, the result of a call to `prototype`.
`package` | The character string name for the package in which the class will be stored; see `getPackageName`.
`validity` | Optional validity method. See `validObject`, and the discussion of validity methods in the reference.
`access` | Access information. Not currently used.
`version` | Optional version key for version control. Currently generated, but not used.
`sealed` | Is the class sealed? See `setClass`.
`virtual` | Is this known to be a virtual class?
`where` | The environment from which to look for class definitions needed (e.g., for slots or superclasses). See the discussion of this argument under GenericFunctions.

### References

The R package methods implements, with a few exceptions, the programming interface for classes and methods in the book Programming with Data (John M. Chambers, Springer, 1998), in particular sections 1.6, 2.7, 2.8, and chapters 7 and 8.

While the programming interface for the methods package follows the reference, the R software is an original implementation, so details in the reference that reflect the S4 implementation may appear differently in R. Also, there are extensions to the programming interface developed more recently than the reference. For a discussion of details see `?Methods` and the links from that documentation.

### See Also

`setClass`

[Package methods version 2.6.0 Index]