Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!aero-c!gumby.dsd.trw.com!deneva!mongoose
From: mongoose@spf.trw.com (Julian Watkins)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.smalltalk
Subject: Using methods in the superclass' superclass
Message-ID: <28319BCD.B2F@deneva.sdd.trw.com>
Date: 15 May 91 20:36:28 GMT
Sender: news@deneva.sdd.trw.com
Organization: TRW Data Systems Center, Redondo Beach, CA
Lines: 30
Originator: mongoose@acrux

I am porting some st80 code that was originally done by modifying Analyst
Spreadsheet classes rather than by subclassing them.  I am attempting to
remedy this situation by creating subclasses that override only the methods
that really need to be overridden.  One problem I am getting is that I have
to override methods that call methods in the superclass.  This is easy to do
by using the pseudo-variable "super".  The problem is that I end up calling
the method that exists in the immediate superclass (the one I just subclassed
from) rather than ITS superclass.  Maybe an example would suffice:

	Matrix variableSubclass: #SpreadsheetHolder
	SpreadsheetHolder variableSubclass: #MySpreadsheetHolder

When I override a method from SpreadsheetHolder in MySpreadsheetHolder, I would
like to access methods that really exist within Matrix.  If I use "super" I 
get methods that are in SpreadsheetHolder.  My current work around is to
create methods in SpreadsheetHolder that do nothing but call the method in 
"super" that I need to use in MySpreadsheetHolder.  My question is: Is this 
the only way to do what I want?  Am I missing the boat somewhere?  Should I
try to restructure the class hierarchy so that there never is a case where 
this needs to happen?

Direct E-mail is fine, unless this seems to be a topic that could use some
open discussion.



-- 
Julian J. Watkins
213-813-6516
watkins@spf.trw.com