Dynamically create proxy around any given class's methods in Scala - scala

I've been searching for a while and can't seem to find something that matches exactly what I need.
I want to have a way to wrap any class (let's say T) with something that would "do something cool" before and after each invocation of the public methods of this T class, and this thing would look like T to the compiler.
Here's some pseudo code to illustrate:
object CoolWrap {
def apply[T](underlying: T) {
new CoolWrapImpl(underlying).asInstanceOf[T]
}
}
class CoolWrapImpl[T](underlying: T) extends T {
def onPublicMethod(method: Method, params: Params) = {
// method would be the method that was invoked on T
doSomethingCool1(params) // like logging
val resp = measureTime { method.invoke(params) }
doAnotherCoolThing()
resp
}
}
Using reflection is not out of the question, this would only happen once per instance that would live in memory throughout the life of the process, so I'm not concerned with it being slow to instantiate.
Is this even possible? (currently forced to use Scala 2.9.2)
Thanks!

Related

How can I call a super class method from a code block in a derived class?

This question is somewhat hard to summarize. Following code block shows what I want to do.
I have a base class like this:
`class Base {
def methA:String="ook"
def methB:Int=1
}
Also I have a derived class, where I want each subclass method to call the super class method twice, compare the results and throw an exception on mismatch (this is for a test scenario).
But if I write
class Derived extends Base {
private def callDoublyAndCompare[T](fun:()=>T) : T = {
val fst=fun()
val snd=fun()
if(fst!=snd) throw new RuntimeException(s"Mismatch fst=$fst != snd=$snd")
snd
}
override def methB:Int={
callDoublyAndCompare(() => super[Derived].methB)
}
}
Then this will not compile. The only way out of this problem sofar has been to extract a method in class Derived which only calls the superclass' methB and to call this from the lambda call.
Is there a better way?
I understood you want to call super call method. Hope below is what you want.
You can call that as below with the key word super only
(new Derived).methB . This will call super call method in callDoublyAndCompare twice as per your code .
class Derived extends Base {
private def callDoublyAndCompare[T](fun:()=>T) : T = {
val fst=fun()
val snd=fun()
if(fst!=snd) throw new RuntimeException(s"Mismatch fst=$fst != snd=$snd")
snd
}
override def methB:Int={
callDoublyAndCompare(() => super.methB) //kept only super
}
}
The original example was not fully complete insofar as the Derived class was defined as inner class of another scala class.
After I moved out this inner class to the top level, the example from Praveen above suddenly worked.

How can I add new methods to a library object?

I've got a class from a library (specifically, com.twitter.finagle.mdns.MDNSResolver). I'd like to extend the class (I want it to return a Future[Set], rather than a Try[Group]).
I know, of course, that I could sub-class it and add my method there. However, I'm trying to learn Scala as I go, and this seems like an opportunity to try something new.
The reason I think this might be possible is the behavior of JavaConverters. The following code:
class Test {
var lst:Buffer[Nothing] = (new java.util.ArrayList()).asScala
}
does not compile, because there is no asScala method on Java's ArrayList. But if I import some new definitions:
class Test {
import collection.JavaConverters._
var lst:Buffer[Nothing] = (new java.util.ArrayList()).asScala
}
then suddenly there is an asScala method. So that looks like the ArrayList class is being extended transparently.
Am I understanding the behavior of JavaConverters correctly? Can I (and should I) duplicate that methodology?
Scala supports something called implicit conversions. Look at the following:
val x: Int = 1
val y: String = x
The second assignment does not work, because String is expected, but Int is found. However, if you add the following into scope (just into scope, can come from anywhere), it works:
implicit def int2String(x: Int): String = "asdf"
Note that the name of the method does not matter.
So what usually is done, is called the pimp-my-library-pattern:
class BetterFoo(x: Foo) {
def coolMethod() = { ... }
}
implicit def foo2Better(x: Foo) = new BetterFoo(x)
That allows you to call coolMethod on Foo. This is used so often, that since Scala 2.10, you can write:
implicit class BetterFoo(x: Foo) {
def coolMethod() = { ... }
}
which does the same thing but is obviously shorter and nicer.
So you can do:
implicit class MyMDNSResolver(x: com.twitter.finagle.mdns.MDNSResolver) = {
def awesomeMethod = { ... }
}
And you'll be able to call awesomeMethod on any MDNSResolver, if MyMDNSResolver is in scope.
This is achieved using implicit conversions; this feature allows you to automatically convert one type to another when a method that's not recognised is called.
The pattern you're describing in particular is referred to as "enrich my library", after an article Martin Odersky wrote in 2006. It's still an okay introduction to what you want to do: http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=179766
The way to do this is with an implicit conversion. These can be used to define views, and their use to enrich an existing library is called "pimp my library".
I'm not sure if you need to write a conversion from Try[Group] to Future[Set], or you can write one from Try to Future and another from Group to Set, and have them compose.

Scala Mock Object Creation

Is there a way to create an object of a given type that overrides a subset of methods and throws runtime exceptions for the rest of the methods?
It doesn't even need to have access to any implementation of the superclass. It just needs to have the same type at compiletime and runtime.
That pretty much is what a ScalaMock mock object does out of the box — methods you've set expectations on do whatever the expectations tell them to do, all others throw an ExpectationException.
What's your use-case?
As Paul said, ScalaMock is a good way to go.
But I wanted to point out that you're just describing basic inheritance:
class OriginalClass {
def methodToRun() = { println("called OriginalClass.methodToRun") }
def methodNotToRun() = { println("called OriginalClass.methodNotToRun") }
}
class MockOriginalClass extends OriginalClass {
override def methodToRun() = super.methodToRun()
override def methodNotToRun() = throw new RuntimeException("you weren't supposed to run this!")
}
Then, in your code, where you were expecting an OriginalClass object you can pass in a MockOriginalClass and it will throw errors when you call the wrong things.

Scala constructor without parameters

I may be having a silly problem here... I can't seem to figure out how to make a constructor without parameters in Scala. I know I can just write the whole thing in the class body (especially because it's the only constructor I need), but it doesn't quite feel right.
What I have:
class Foo {
//some init code
//...
}
What I'd like (but doesn't work as it wants me to call another constructor first):
class Foo {
// The only constructor
def this() = {
//some init code
}
//...
}
All classes in Scala have a primary constructor and optionally some auxiliary constructors (which must defer to the primary constructor or another auxiliary constructor).
The issue in your case is that in both cases you've defined the primary constructor as taking no arguments - and then in the second case you try to define an auxiliary constructor with the same signature. This doesn't work, for the same reason that the following wouldn't compile:
// Primary constructor takes a String
class Foo(s: String) {
// Auxiliary constructor also takes a String?? (compile error)
def this(a: String) {
this(a)
}
}
This isn't anything to do with the fact that the constructor is no-args; the following compiles for example:
class Foo(s: String) {
// alternative no-arg constructor (with different signature from primary)
def this() {
this("Default value from auxiliary constructor")
}
}
In particular, in your second example, your comment "the only constructor" is wrong. Auxiliary constructors are always secondary to the primary constructor, and cannot ever be the only constructor.
FWIW, the first example is the only option open to you, but it looks fine to me. If you've just started using Scala I'm sure it will start to feel right soon enough - and it's important to eschew Java-esque ways of doing things when there are more idiomatic alternatives.
For what it's worth you can introduce an extra scope to "mark" the init code.
class Foo {
{
// init code here
}
}
Well putting the init code in the class body is the only way to have a constructor without parameters. I suppose if you want you could do something like :
class Foo {
private def init {
//init code here
}
init()
}
that's as close as you're gonna get.
The init code is the body of the method. But you can do this, if it bothers you all that much:
class Foo {
locally {
//some init code
}
}

Force initialization of Scala singleton object

I'm working on an automatic mapping framework built on top of Dozer. I won't go into specifics as it's not relevant to the question but in general it's supposed to allow easy transformation from class A to class B. I'd like to register the projections from a class's companion object.
Below is a (simplified) example of how I want this to work, and a Specs test that assures that the projection is being registered properly.
Unfortunately, this doesn't work. From what I can gather, this is because nothing initializes the A companion object. And indeed, if I call any method on the A object (like the commented-out hashCode call, the projection is being registered correctly.
My question is - how can I cause the A object to be initialized automatically, as soon as the JVM starts? I don't mind extending a Trait or something, if necessary.
Thanks.
class A {
var data: String = _
}
class B {
var data: String = _
}
object A {
projekt[A].to[B]
}
"dozer projektor" should {
"transform a simple bean" in {
// A.hashCode
val a = new A
a.data = "text"
val b = a.-->[B]
b.data must_== a.data
}
}
Short answer: You can't. Scala objects are lazy, and are not initialized until first reference. You could reference the object, but then you need a way of ensuring the executing code gets executed, reducing the problem back to the original problem.
In ended up doing this:
trait ProjektionAware with DelayedInit
{
private val initCode = new ListBuffer[() => Unit]
override def delayedInit(body: => Unit)
{
initCode += (() => body)
}
def registerProjektions()
{
for (proc <- initCode) proc()
}
}
object A extends ProjektionAware {
projekt[A].to[B]
}
Now I can use a classpath scanning library to initialize all instances of ProjektionAware on application bootstrap. Not ideal, but works for me.
You can force the instantiation of A to involve the companion object by using an apply() method or some other sort of factory method defined in the object instead of directly using the new A() constructor.
This does not cause the object to be initialized when the JVM starts, which I think as noted in another answer can't generally be done.
As Dave Griffith and Don Roby already noted, it cannot be done at JVM startup in general. However maybe this initialization could wait until first use of your framework?
If so, and if you don't mind resorting to fragile reflection tricks, in your --> method you could obtain reference to the companion object and get it initialize itself.
You can start at Getting object instance by string name in scala.
We could use this sort of a way to ensure that companion object gets initialized first and then the class gets instantiated.
object B {
val i = 0
def apply(): B = new B()
}
class B {
// some method that uses i from Object B
def show = println(B.i)
}
// b first references Object B which calls apply()
// then class B is instantiated
val b = B()