setSClass              package:methods              R Documentation

Low-level Class definition

Description:

     This is the lower-level version of `setClass'.  Unless you really
     know why you are calling it, use `setClass' instead.

Usage:

     setSClass(name, properties=list(), extends=character(),
        prototype=NULL, generatorFunction, where=1,
        subclasses=character(), virtual=NA, validity, access)

Arguments:

    name: character string name for the class 

properties: the `representation' argument to `setClass' 

 extends: what classes does this class extend 

prototype: an object (usually a list) providing the default data for
          the slots specified in the representation. 

generatorFunction: an optional function to use in generating new
          objects from the class 

   where: where to store the resulting definition (as metadata). By
          default, uses the global environment. 

subclasses: Classes that extend this class.  

 virtual: Is this known to be a virtual class? 

validity, access: Optional arguments for validity method and access
          restrictions.  At the time of writing, these are included for
          compatibility and are not used.  In the future, however, the
          validity method is likely to be relevant.  See Programming
          with Data for its interpretation.

Author(s):

     John Chambers

References:

     The web page <URL: http://www.omegahat.org/RSMethods/index.html>
     is the primary documentation.

     The functions in this package emulate the facility for classes and
     methods described in Programming with Data, (John M. Chambers,
     Springer, 1998).  See this book for further details and examples.

See Also:

     `setClass'

