NAME ^

docs/dev/pccmethods.pod - PCCMETHOD and PCCINVOKE

OVERVIEW ^

A PCCMETHOD is a method in a PMC that takes parameters using the Parrot Calling Conventions. By contrast, a standard METHOD or a vtable method in a PMC uses the standard C calling conventions, which are somewhat more limited.

PCCINVOKE is used to call a method using the Parrot Calling Conventions. It uses the standard find_method/invoke approach that the callmethodcc opcode would.

You can use PCCINVOKE in any PMC method (including v-table methods), even if they are not PCCMETHODs. Usefully, you can call methods that are not implemented with PCCMETHOD too.

SYNTAX ^

PCCMETHOD ^

To declare that a method in a PMC should take arguments using the Parrot Calling Conventions, prefix its name with the keyword PCCMETHOD. Where you would put the C parameter list, put a PCC parameter list. You should always use the void return type where you would write the C return type - the signature of the return is specified inside the method using PCCRETURN.

  PCCMETHOD void PlayRandomSong() {
      ...
  }

  PCCMETHOD void PlaySong(STRING *artist, STRING *title) {
      ...
  }

For full details of the parameter list syntax, see "Parameter List Syntax".

PCCRETURN ^

To return arguments using the Parrot Calling Conventions, which you should do if you have implemented a PCCMETHOD (unless it returns no arguments, of course), use the PCCRETURN keyword. This takes a signature as specified in the "Parameter List Syntax" section.

  PCCRETURN(PMC *status, INTVAL count);

PCCINVOKE ^

To call a method on an object using the Parrot Calling Conventions, use PCCINVOKE. This takes 3 arguments, followed by the signature of the call and the arguments as specified in the "Parameter List Syntax" section.

The first argument is the current interpreter; use the INTERP macro in a PMC.

The second argument is the object to call the method on.

The third argument is the name of the method to call, between double quotes.

Any return arguments appear, with the return signature, to the left of the call and in parentheses.

For example:

  PCCINVOKE(INTERP, monkey, "eat", PMC* banana);

  (PMC *pooh) = PCCINVOKE(INTERP, monkey, "excrete");

  (PMC *status, INTVAL count) = PCCINVOKE(INTERP, player, "PlaySong", artist, title);

Parameter List Syntax ^

The syntax for a PCC parameter list is a comma separated list of zero or more parameters. Each parameter takes the form:

    { INTVAL | NUMVAL | STRING* | PMC* } NAME [ ADVERBS ]

That is, a register type, followed by a name, optionally followed by one or more flags specified as adverbs. The list of supported adverbs is listed in PDD3, the calling conventions design document.

Note that in line with the Parrot code standards, you should write:

  PMC *param :optional

Instead of

  PMC* param :optional

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ^

Performance ^

When a METHOD or vtable method is called, NCI is used to map the arguments held in the current Parrot_Context onto the C calling conventions. That is, you still end up involving the Parrot Calling Conventions anyway, so there is no reason to expect a PCCMETHOD to be any slower. It may well be faster. It's probably best to just not care. :-)

It is clearly true that PCCINVOKE is going to be more costly than an invocation of a C method from another C method, if you do the call directly at the C level. However, if you do that you are ignoring any method overrides if you have been subclassed, and you wouldn't want to do that now, would you?

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