Call a private method from a shared method?

[jcsmnt0]

If I have:

Code: Select all

class Test
    def a
        pass

    def b is shared
        .a()


I get the compilation error:

Code: Select all

error: Cannot access instance member "a" from the current shared member. Make the member "shared" or create an instance of the type.

Is there a way to call a private method from a shared method?

[nerdzero]

Sure, just make the member "shared" or create an instance of the type

By default, a method will be public. So, in this case the issue is that you don't have an instance of the Test class from which to call the a method as opposed to a being private. Check this out:

class Test
    def a
        print "a was called"

    def b is shared
        print "b was called"
        Test().a # we need an instance of 'Test' in order to call 'a'

class TestProgram

    def main
        """ 
        Prints...
        b was called
        a was called
        """
        Test.b

Makes sense?

[Charles]

While we're on the subject:

class A

    def thisIsPublic
        pass

    def _thisIsProtected
        pass

    def __thisIsPrivate
        pass

And you don't have to use underscores. You can use explicit declaration:

class A

    def thisIsPublic is public
        pass

    def thisIsProtected is protected
        pass

    def thisIsPrivate is private
        pass

Finally, the accessibility (public, protected, private, internal) is separate from the "level" (instance, shared).

HTH

[jcsmnt0]

Finally, the accessibility (public, protected, private, internal) is separate from the "level" (instance, shared).

That's the bit that I was missing in my understanding - I thought shared was synonymous with public. Thanks to both of you for the good explanations!