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Wrapper semantics of an object-oriented programming language with state

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Theoretical Aspects of Computer Software (TACS 1991)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 526))

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Abstract

The semantics of class inheritance has first been given in operational form (method-lookup-semantics). While this semantics is well suited for implementing object-oriented programming languages, it may conceal the true nature of inheritance. The development of denotational semantics for object-oriented languages has culminated in object creation as fixed point operation. Cook gave a semantics on this basis, using so called wrappers. This semantics abstracts from the internal state of objects (instance variables).

In this paper we show how wrapper semantics can be extended to an object-oriented programming language with state while keeping the structure of the original definitions. For this purpose we define a direct denotational semantics of a small example language. The insertion of state into class definitions can be done before or after the related fixed point operation. The choice of the alternative considerably influences the semantic domains and clauses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LS Programmiersprachen u. Übersetzerbau FB 14, Informatik, Universität des Saarlandes, 6600, Saarbrücken 11, Fed. Rep. of Germany

    Andreas V. Hense

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  1. Andreas V. Hense
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Takayasu Ito Albert R. Meyer

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© 1991 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Hense, A.V. (1991). Wrapper semantics of an object-oriented programming language with state. In: Ito, T., Meyer, A.R. (eds) Theoretical Aspects of Computer Software. TACS 1991. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 526. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-54415-1_64

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-54415-1_64

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-54415-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-47617-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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