Multiple Dispatching. Alex Tritthart WS 12/13

Transcription

1 Multiple Dispatching Alex Tritthart WS 12/13

2 Outline 1 Introduction 2 Dynamic Dispatch Single Dispatch Double Dispatch 3 Multiple Dispatch Example 4 Evaluation 2 / 24

3 What is it all about? Introduction Assume c l a s s Animal { shout ( ) = 0} c l a s s Lion : Animal { shout ( ) { r o a r }} void shoutmethod ( Animal &a ){ a. shout ( ) } Call Lion l i o n ( ) ; shoutmethod ( l i o n ) ; // s h o u l d output r o a r 3 / 24

4 Introduction What do we need? We need no compiling time resolution, but runtime function resolution no function overloading, but function overriding This is called: Dynamic Dispatch 4 / 24

5 Introduction What do we need? We need no compiling time resolution, but runtime function resolution no function overloading, but function overriding This is called: Dynamic Dispatch 4 / 24

6 Dynamic Dispatch Dynamic Dispatch Decision at runtime Allows instance behaviour Implemented through virtual tables Dynamic Dispatch is every Dispatch with: More than one possibility Same method signature in super class and subclasses Choosing method depending on the real types of arguments There exist single dispatch, double dispatch, triple dispatch,... 5 / 24

7 Single Dispatch Dynamic Dispatch Single Dispatch Definition The Object-Oriented term for overriding, allowing different methods to be used depending on the type of a single object. 6 / 24

8 Dynamic Dispatch Single Dispatch Single Dispatch Dynamic dispatch with a single type Used mostly in object oriented languages Simple to implement Languages Java, C#, JS, Python, Ruby can handle single dispatch 7 / 24

9 But how to realize? Dynamic Dispatch Single Dispatch Virtual Methods Virtual Tables 8 / 24

10 But how to realize? Dynamic Dispatch Single Dispatch Virtual Methods Virtual Tables 8 / 24

11 Dynamic Dispatch Single Dispatch Virtual Methods Methods which behaviour can get overridden Methods where the vector address gets determined at runtime Requires: same class hierarchy and same signature Example c l a s s Animal : p u b l i c Animal { v i r t u a l void shout ( ) = 0 ; } Languages In C++, Object Pascal an explicit declaration is necessary In Java, Smalltalk, Python all methods are virtual 9 / 24

12 Dynamic Dispatch Single Dispatch Virtual Function Table Each function gets an index Each object gets a hidden pointer to the table The compiler only generates the routing - so calls can be dissolved Alternatives Binary tree dispatch String in a hash table 10 / 24

13 Virtual Function Table Dynamic Dispatch Single Dispatch 11 / 24

14 Dynamic Dispatch Double Dispatch Double Dispatch Considers behavior between two objects with subclasses Examples Adaptive collision Event handling systems Printing figures on different printers Not straight supported by OO languages like java and C++ 12 / 24

15 Dynamic Dispatch Print all figures on all printers Double Dispatch void p r i n t A l l E v e r y w h e r e ( F i g u r e [ ] f i g u r e s, P r i n t e r [ ] p r i n t e r s ) f o r ( i : f i g u r e s ) { F i g u r e f i g u r e = f i g u r e s [ i ] ; f o r ( j : p r i n t e r s ) { P r i n t e r p r i n t e r = p r i n t e r s [ j ] ; f i g u r e. printon ( p r i n t e r ) ; }} must work for any printer or figure! 13 / 24

16 Dynamic Dispatch Double Dispatch The Problem with Double Dispatch Assume F i g u r e f i g u r e ; // d e f a u l t : c i r c l e f i g u r e S q u a r e F i g u r e s q u a r e F i g u r e ; P r i n t e r p r i n t e r ; // d e f a u l t : black white p r i n t e r C o l o r P r i n t e r c o l o r P r i n t e r ; Call s q u a r e F i g u r e. p rinton ( p r i n t e r ) ; // s q u a r e i n b l a c k and w h i t e s q u a r e F i g u r e. p rinton ( c o l o r P r i n t e r ) ; // s q u a r e i n c o l o r 14 / 24

17 Dynamic Dispatch Double Dispatch The Problem with Double Dispatch Assume F i g u r e& f i g u r e R e f e r e n c e = s q u a r e F i g u r e ; Call f i g u r e R e f e r e n c e. printon ( p r i n t e r ) ; // s q u a r e i n b l a c k and w h i t e f i g u r e R e f e r e n c e. printon ( c o l o r P r i n t e r ) ; // s q u a r e i n c o l o r 15 / 24

18 Dynamic Dispatch Double Dispatch The Problem with Double Dispatch Assume F i g u r e& f i g u r e R e f e r e n c e = s q u a r e F i g u r e ; P r i n t e r& p r i n t e r R e f e r e n c e = c o l o r P r i n t e r ; Call // note the t y p e o f the p o i n t e r and the t y p e o f the o b j e c t. f i g u r e. printon ( p r i n t e r R e f e r e n c e ) ; // c i r c l e i n c o l o r? f i g u r e R e f e r e n c e. printon ( p r i n t e r R e f e r e n c e ) ; // s q u a r e i n c o l o r? 16 / 24

19 Multiple Dispatch Multiple Dispatch Uses runtime types of more than one argument Generic function chooses the appropriate method The choice depends on the signature Multiple Dispatch is a kind of nested instance-of checks Languages Common Lisp, Haskell, Dylan, Nice, Perl 6, C# 4.0 With extensions: Python, Perl, Java, C#,.NET 17 / 24

20 Multiple Dispatch Multiple Dispatch Pattern 18 / 24

21 Example in C# 4.0: Multiple Dispatch Example void p r i n t O n I m p l ( F i g u r e x, P r i n t e r y ) { // p r i n t c i r c l e i n b l a c k and w h i t e } void p r i n t O n I m p l ( S q u a r e F i g u r e x, P r i n t e r y ){ // p r i n t s q u a r e i n b l a c k and w h i t e }... void p rinton ( TopClass x, TopClass y ) { dynamic a = x ; dynamic b = y ; p r i n t O n I m p l ( a, b ) ; } 19 / 24

22 Evaluation Advantages Less code to write no argument preparation Avoiding asymmetry of single dispatch Generic function is relevant for several classes Extending a class becomes nearly trivial Languages with multiple dispatch use efficient algorithms to resolve calls 20 / 24

23 Evaluation Disadvantages Single dispatch occuring most, already useable by most object oriented languages Median overhead of 13.7% to the maximum of 47% (study 1996)[4] There are not that many real cases where double or triple dispatch is used Different generic functions for one class But: Development tools help finding all relevant functions 21 / 24

24 Evaluation Thank you! When should I use multiple dispatch? Whenever you are implementing equal methods which work with a number of different objects Question: Is there a workaround to get double dispatch in languages with using single dispatch? 22 / 24

25 Evaluation Workaround: VisitorPattern Add method to printers: v i r t u a l void p r i n t O n I m p l ( F i g u r e& f i g u r e ) f i g u r e. printon ( t h i s ) ; Call P r i n t e r& p r i n t e r R e f e r e n c e = c o l o r P r i n t e r ; F i g u r e& f i g u r e R e f e r e n c e = s q u a r e F i g u r e ; p r i n t e r R e f e r e n c e. printon ( f i g u r e ) ; p r i n t e r R e f e r e n c e. printon ( f i g u r e R e f e r e n c e ) ; 23 / 24

26 Quellenangabe Evaluation Radu Muschevici, Alex Potanin, Ewan Tempero, James Noble: Multiple Dispatch in Practice ~alex/files/muschevicipotanintemperonobleoopsla2008.pdf The multiple dispatch pattern in its detail Karel Driesen, Urs Hölzle: The Direct Cost of Virtual Function Calls in C++ MuscheviciPotaninTemperoNobleOOPSLA2008.pdf http: //java.dzone.com/articles/multiple-dispatch-fix-some 24 / 24