API

Before using Classy you must require the plugin in your code file:

local Classy = require("plugin.classy")

Classy

create

Create a new base class. See also Classes in the Usage guide.

Classy.create(className[, defaults])

Arguments

Name	Description	Type	Required
className	The name of the class.	String	Y
defaults	A key/value table of default properties.	Table	N

Returns

A new base class.

Example

Basic

local Person = Classy.create("Person")

Defaults

local Person = Classy.create("Person", { age = 18 })

isClass

Utility function to check if an object is a base class or subclass.

Classy.isClass(object)

Returns

A Boolean value.

Example

local Person = Classy.create("Person")

print(Classy.isClass(Person)) --> true

isInstance

Utility function to check if an object is an instance of a class or subclass.

Classy.isInstance(object)

Returns

A Boolean value.

Example

local person = Person:new()

print(Classy.isInstance(person)) --> true

Classes

constructor

An optional constructor function that is called when creating new instances of a class (or subclass).

<className>:constructor([args])

Arguments

Name	Description	Type	Required
args	Common delimited set of arguments to be consumed when a new instance of the class (or subclass) is created. See new.	Various	N

Returns

This method has no return value.

Example

function Person:constructor(name, age)
  self.name = name
  self.age = age
end

Notes

The passed arguments can be of any Lua type.

extends

Creates a subclass of a base class (or subclass). See also Subclasses in the Usage guide.

<className>:extends(subclassName[, defaults])

Arguments

Name	Description	Type	Required
subclassName	The name of the subclass.	String	Y
defaults	A key/value table of default properties.	Table	N

Returns

A new subclass of the class.

Example

Basic

local Boss = Person:extends("Boss")

Defaults

local Boss = Person:extends("Boss", { title = "The Big Cheese" })

Notes

Subclasses can use the constructor method.
You can use extends to subclass a subclass.
Syntactically this method can be read as "Boss extends Person".

super

Access the super class, which is the class (or subclass) parent. See also Subclasses in the Usage guide.

super is a property, not a method.

--Call parent methods
<className>.super.<classMethod>(self, [args])

Notes

To call a super (parent) method you must use dot (.) syntax, and pass a reference of self as the first parameter.

Instances

new

Create a new instance of a class or subclass. See also Instances in the Usage guide.

<className>:new([args])

Arguments

Name	Description	Type	Required
args	Common delimited set of arguments to pass to the class (or subclass) constructor method, if one exists. See constructor.	Various	N

Returns

A new instance of the class or subclass.

Example

Basic

local person = Person:new()

Arguments

local person = Person:new("Tina", 23)

Notes

The passed arguments can be of any Lua type.

Utilities

The following methods are called directly on an object using colon (:) syntax.

instanceOf

A utility method to check if an instance is an instance of a specific class or subclass.

<instance>:instanceOf(<Class>)

Returns

A Boolean value.

Example

local person = Person:new()

print(person:instanceOf(Person)) --> true

subclassOf

A utility method to check if a subclass is a subclass of a specific class.

<Subclass>:subclassOf(<Class>)

Returns

A Boolean value.

Example

local Wand = Weapon:extends("Wand")

print(Wand:subclassOf(Weapon)) --> true

classOf

A utility method to check if a subclass is derived from a specific class.

<Class>:classOf(<Subclass>)

Returns

A Boolean value.

Example

local Person = Classy.create("Person")
local Manager = Person:extends("Manager")

print(Person:classOf(Manager)) --> true

Notes

Syntactically this method can be read in reverse as in "is Manager a class of Person".