Scala: Can I reproduce anonymous class creation with a factory method? - scala

Question

As far as I understand it, Scala creates an anonymous class if I create a class using the new keyword and follow the class name with a constructor:
class MyClass {
def doStuff() {
// ...
}
}
val mc = new MyClass {
doStuff()
}
The nice thing being that all the code in the constructor is in the scope of the new object.
Is there a way I can reproduce this syntax where the class is created by a factory method rather than the new keyword? i.e. make the following code work:
val mf = new MyFactory
val mc = mf.MyClass {
doStuff()
}
I can't find a way to do it but Scala has so much to it that this might be pretty easy!
Using an import as suggested by #Ricky below I can get:
val mf = MyFactory;
val mc = mf.MyClass
{
import mc._
doStuff()
}
(Where the blank line before the block is needed) but that code block is not a constructor.

Answer 1

You can do this, but you still have to keep the new keyword, and create the nested class as a path-dependent type:
class Bippy(x: Int) {
class Bop {
def getIt = x
}
}
val bip = new Bippy(7)
val bop = new bip.Bop
bop.getIt // yields 7
val bop2 = new bip.Bop{ override def getIt = 42 }
bop2.getIt // yields 42

Answer 2

I don't think it's possible. However, a common pattern is to add a parameter to factory methods which takes a function modifying the created object:
trait MyClass {
var name = ""
def doStuff():Unit
}
class Foo extends MyClass {
def doStuff() { println("FOO: " + name) }
}
trait MyClassFactory {
def make: MyClass
def apply( body: MyClass => Unit ) = {
val mc = make
body(mc)
mc
}
}
object FooFactory extends MyClassFactory {
def make = new Foo
}
You can then create and modify instance with a syntax close to your example:
val foo = FooFactory { f=>
f.name = "Joe"
f.doStuff
}

Answer 3

It sounds like you're just looking to mix in a trait. Instead of calling myFactoryMethod(classOf[Foo]] which ideally would do (if Scala permitted it):
new T {
override def toString = "My implementation here."
}
you can instead write
trait MyImplementation {
override def toString = "My implementation here."
}
new Foo with MyImplementation
However, if you are just looking to get the members of the new object accessible without qualification, remember you can import from any stable identifier:
val foo = new Bar
import foo._
println(baz) //where baz is a member of foo.