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Posted to users@groovy.apache.org by Erwin Müller <er...@deventm.org> on 2016/04/19 14:50:50 UTC

Weird behavior with .with

Hello,

I'm trying to construct a DSL, but I don't like to write a builder, I want to 
use just the Groovy syntax. But I have now a weird behavior of a script. I try 
to explain in the source code.

----
profile.with { // Profile class
    hostname with { } // ProfileProperties class // 1.
    hosts() with { } // 2.
    remote.with { service = 'openssh' } // 3.
    mail with { // 4.
        service = 'postfix'
        delivery = 'courier'
    }
}
----
----
class Profile {

    Object methodMissing(String name, Object args) {
         p = new ProfileProperties()
         list.add(p);
         return p
    }

    Object propertyMissing(String name, Object args) {
         p = new ProfileProperties()
         list.add(p);
         return p
    }
}
----
----
class ProfileProperties {

    Object propertyMissing(String name, Object args) {
         map.put(name, args);
    }
}
----

1. here, the method Profile#methodMissing() is called with name="hostname" and 
args=[null], that returns ProfileProperties

2. here, the method Profile#methodMissing() is called with name="hostname" and 
args=[], that returns ProfileProperties

3. a) here, the method Profile#propertyMissing() is called with name="hostname" 
and args=null, that returns ProfileProperties. 

3. b) Later, the method ProfileProperties#propertyMissing() is called with 
name="service" and args="openssh"

4. a) Here, the method Profile#propertyMissing() is called with name="service" 
and args="postfix". *That is strange.* Why is first the property called?

4. b) Later, the method Profile#methodMissing() is called with name="mail" and 
args=[courier], that returns ProfileProperties. *That is strange.* Why is the 
argument "courier"?

Why is in case 4. first the properties "service" and "delivery" called, and not 
the method "mail"?

I would have expected the behavior that first the method "mail()" is called, 
that invokes the Profile#methodMissing() method that would create and return 
the ProfileProperties object. Then later, the "service" and "delivery" 
properties are intercepted by the ProfileProperties#propertyMissing() method.

Kind regards,

Erwin.

-- 
Erwin Müller - erwin.mueller@deventm.org
Software Entwickler - (+49)  01577-9505569
Pgp - https://pgp.mit.edu/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x02E820911DD910FD
Meine Seite - http://www.mueller-public.de/
ANRI - http://www.anr-institute.com/

Re: Weird behavior with .with

Posted by Dinko Srkoč <di...@gmail.com>.
    mail with { // 4.
        service = 'postfix'
        delivery = 'courier'
    }

is actually resolved as

    this.mail(this.with({
        service = 'postfix'
        delivery = 'courier'
    }))

where `this` is the instance of `Profile`.

BTW, the same happens with `hostname with {}`, but, because of the
empty block, you didn't notice it.

Cheers,
Dinko

On 19 April 2016 at 14:50, Erwin Müller <er...@deventm.org> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'm trying to construct a DSL, but I don't like to write a builder, I want to
> use just the Groovy syntax. But I have now a weird behavior of a script. I try
> to explain in the source code.
>
> ----
> profile.with { // Profile class
>     hostname with { } // ProfileProperties class // 1.
>     hosts() with { } // 2.
>     remote.with { service = 'openssh' } // 3.
>     mail with { // 4.
>         service = 'postfix'
>         delivery = 'courier'
>     }
> }
> ----
> ----
> class Profile {
>
>     Object methodMissing(String name, Object args) {
>          p = new ProfileProperties()
>          list.add(p);
>          return p
>     }
>
>     Object propertyMissing(String name, Object args) {
>          p = new ProfileProperties()
>          list.add(p);
>          return p
>     }
> }
> ----
> ----
> class ProfileProperties {
>
>     Object propertyMissing(String name, Object args) {
>          map.put(name, args);
>     }
> }
> ----
>
> 1. here, the method Profile#methodMissing() is called with name="hostname" and
> args=[null], that returns ProfileProperties
>
> 2. here, the method Profile#methodMissing() is called with name="hostname" and
> args=[], that returns ProfileProperties
>
> 3. a) here, the method Profile#propertyMissing() is called with name="hostname"
> and args=null, that returns ProfileProperties.
>
> 3. b) Later, the method ProfileProperties#propertyMissing() is called with
> name="service" and args="openssh"
>
> 4. a) Here, the method Profile#propertyMissing() is called with name="service"
> and args="postfix". *That is strange.* Why is first the property called?
>
> 4. b) Later, the method Profile#methodMissing() is called with name="mail" and
> args=[courier], that returns ProfileProperties. *That is strange.* Why is the
> argument "courier"?
>
> Why is in case 4. first the properties "service" and "delivery" called, and not
> the method "mail"?
>
> I would have expected the behavior that first the method "mail()" is called,
> that invokes the Profile#methodMissing() method that would create and return
> the ProfileProperties object. Then later, the "service" and "delivery"
> properties are intercepted by the ProfileProperties#propertyMissing() method.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Erwin.
>
> --
> Erwin Müller - erwin.mueller@deventm.org
> Software Entwickler - (+49) 01577-9505569
> Pgp - https://pgp.mit.edu/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x02E820911DD910FD
> Meine Seite - http://www.mueller-public.de/
> ANRI - http://www.anr-institute.com/