Message sends

Message sends

Cyan was initially based on Smalltalk. As a result, it supports keyword messages, a message with multiple keywords as in

var p = Point dist: 100.0 angle: 20.0;

Both dist: and angle: are called keywords or message keywords. Following Smalltalk terminology, dist:angle: is called a “selector”.

object Point

  func dist: (Double newDist) angle: (Double newAngle) -> Point {

    var p = self clone;

    p dist: newDist;

    p angle: newAngle;

    return p

  }

  func dist: Double dist { self.dist = dist }
  func angle: Double angle { self.angle = angle }
  func getDist -> Double = dist;
  func getAngle -> Double = angle;
  var Double dist

  var Double angle

end

After a single keyword there may be multiple parameters:

func p1: (Int x1, Int y1) 

     p2: (Int x2, Int y2) 

     p3: Int x3, Int y3 

     p4: Int x4, Int y4 { 
	
       self.x = x1; 

       ... 

}