Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!hsi!stpstn!lerman
From: lerman@stpstn.UUCP (Ken Lerman)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.objective-c
Subject: Requirements for Class Variables for Objective-C
Keywords: class variables
Message-ID: <5638@stpstn.UUCP>
Date: 2 Oct 90 18:13:11 GMT
Reply-To: lerman@stepstone.com.UUCP (Ken Lerman)
Organization: The Stepstone Corporation, Sandy Hook, CT 06482
Lines: 33


As a long term user and developer of Objective-C, I've often heard
people comment that it would be nice if Objective-C had "Class
Variables."  On several occasions, I've had use for them, myself.

The problem addressed by this article, is:  What are class variables?

Here are some possible answers:

Class variables are like instance variables, except that all instances
of the class share a common variable.  Each class may declare some
class variables and has these plus those of its superclass.  Some
alternatives are:

1 -- each subclass has its own copy of its parent's class variables

2 -- all subclasses share a single copy of their parent's class variables

The questions for the net are:

1 -- Would you like to see class variables added to Objective-C?

2 -- Which of the two types of class variables discussed above would
you like to see?  (Or some other version).

3 -- Do you have some examples of how you would use class variables?

Send me email or answer to the net.  I will summarize if and when
appropriate.

Disclaimer:  I speak for only myself in this article.

Ken