In Scala, how does one define a local parameter in the primary constructor of a class that is not a data member and that, for example, serves only to initialize a data member in the base class?
For example, in the following code, how could I properly define parameter b in the primary constructor of class B so that it generates only a temporary local parameter and not a data member?
class A(var a: Int)
class B(?b?) extends A(b)
Randall, your answers explain why the Scala compiler complains when I introduce a method inc that increments the property a, but also change the name of the parameter in the class B constructor to match that of the parameter in the class A constructor:
class A(var a: Int)
class B(a: Int) extends A(a) {
def inc(value: Int) { this.a += value }
}
Scala compiler output:
$ scala construct.scala
construct.scala:3: error: reassignment to val
def inc(value: Int) { this.a += value }
^
one error found
Scala complains because class B must now have a private, read-only property a due to the reference to a in inc. Changing B(a: Int) to B(var a: Int) generates a different compiler error:
construct.scala:2: error: error overriding variable a in class A of type Int;
variable a needs `override' modifier
class B(var a: Int) extends A(a) {
^
one error found
Adding override doesn't help, either:
construct.scala:2: error: error overriding variable a in class A of type Int;
variable a cannot override a mutable variable
class B(override var a: Int) extends A(a) {
^
one error found
How can I use the same name in the parameter in the primary constructor of B as the property defined in the primary constructor of the base class A?
解决方案
If you remove the "var" or "val" keyword from the constructor parameter, it does not produce a property.
Be aware, though, that non-var, non-val constructor parameters are in-scope and accessible throughout the class. If you use one in non-constructor code (i.e., in the body of a method), there will be an invisible private field in the generated class that holds that constructor parameter, just as if you made it a "private var" or "private val" constructor parameter.
Addendum (better late than never??):
In this code the references to the constructor parameter occur only in the constructor body:
class C1(i: Int) {
val iSquared = i * i
val iCubed = iSquared * i
val iEven = i - i % 2
}
... Here the value i exists only during the execution of the constructor.
However, in the following code, because the constructor parameter is referenced in a method body—which is not part of the constructor body—the constructor parameter must be copied to a (private) field of the generated class (increasing its memory requirement by the 4 bytes required to hold an Int):
class C2(i: Int) {
val iSquared = i * i
val iCubed = iSquared * i
val iEven = i - i % 2
def mod(d: Int) = i % d
}