InheritanceΒΆ
When defining classes, you can inherit methods from other classes or specialisations thereof. For example here is a total order:
class Tord[t]{
inherit Eq[t];
virtual fun < : t * t -> bool;
fun lt (x:t,y:t): bool=> x < y;
axiom trans(x:t, y:t, z:t): x < y and y < z implies x < z;
axiom antisym(x:t, y:t): x < y or y < x or x == y;
axiom reflex(x:t, y:t): x < y and y <= x implies x == y;
axiom totality(x:t, y:t): x <= y or y <= x;
fun >(x:t,y:t):bool => y < x;
fun gt(x:t,y:t):bool => y < x;
fun <= (x:t,y:t):bool => not (y < x);
fun le (x:t,y:t):bool => not (y < x);
fun >= (x:t,y:t):bool => not (x < y);
fun ge (x:t,y:t):bool => not (x < y);
fun max(x:t,y:t):t=> if x < y then y else x endif;
fun \vee(x:t,y:t) => max (x,y);
fun min(x:t,y:t):t => if x < y then x else y endif;
fun \wedge(x:t,y:t):t => min (x,y);
}
The inherit statement pulls in the methods of Eq so you can write:
println$ Tord[int]::eq(1,2);
and expect it to work. However when instantiating a total order you cannot provide a definition for inherited methods, you must provide the instance for the original class:
instance Eq[int] {
fun == : int * int -> bool = "$1==$2";
}
instance Tord[int] {
fun < : int * int -> bool = "$1<$2";
}
Although in this case, we inherited Eq[t], for all t, we could have inherited Eq[int], for example. Instances can only be provided for a class, not a specialisation, because the instances are themselves defining specialisations.