Destructors

A Destructor is a function that is called just before an Instance of a Class ceases to exist and is typically used to close files or release external resources associated with an Instance.

An Instance of a Class is destroyed when:

• The Instance is expunged using ⎕EX or )ERASE.
• A function, in which the Instance is localised, exits.

But be aware that a destructor will also be called if:

• The Instance is re-assigned (see below)
• The result of ⎕NEW is not assigned (the instance gets created then immediately destroyed).

APL creates (and then destroys) a new Instance as a result of a reference to a member of an empty Instance. The destructor is called after APL has obtained the appropriate value from the instance and no longer needs it.

The constructor function fails. Note that the Instance is actually created before the constructor is run (inside it), and if the constructor fails, the fledgling Instance is discarded. Note too that this means a destructor may need to deal with a partially constructed instance, so the code may need to check that resources were actually acquired, before releasing them.

On the execution of )CLEAR, )LOAD, ⎕LOAD or ⎕OFF.

Note that an Instance of a Class only disappears when the last reference to it disappears. For example, the sequence:

      I1←⎕NEW MyClass
      I2←I1
      )ERASE I1

will not cause the Instance of MyClass to disappear because it is still referenced by I2.

A Destructor is identified by the statement :Implements Destructor which must appear immediately after the function header in the Class script.

:Class Parrot
    ...
    ∇ kill
      :Implements Destructor
      'This Parrot is dead'
    ∇
    ...
:EndClass ⍝ Parrot

      pol←⎕NEW Parrot 'Scarlet Macaw'
      )ERASE pol
This Parrot is dead

Note that reassignment to pol causes the Instance referenced by pol to be destroyed and the Destructor invoked:

      pol←⎕NEW Parrot 'Scarlet Macaw'
      pol←⎕NEW Parrot 'Scarlet Macaw'
This Parrot is dead

If a Class inherits from another Class, the Destructor in its Base Class is automatically called after the Destructor in the Class itself.

So, if we have a Class structure:

      DomesticParrot => Parrot => Bird

containing the following Destructors (click here for a full listing of the relevant Classes):

:Class DomesticParrot: Parrot
    ...
    ∇ kill
      :Implements Destructor
      'This ',(⍕⎕THIS),' is dead'
    ∇
     ...
:EndClass ⍝ DomesticParrot

:Class Parrot: Bird
    ...
    ∇ kill
      :Implements Destructor
      'This Parrot is dead'
    ∇
    ...
:EndClass ⍝ Parrot

:Class Bird
    ...
    ∇ kill
      :Implements Destructor
      'This Bird is dead'
    ∇
    ...
:EndClass ⍝ Bird

Destroying an Instance of DomesticParrot will run the Destructors in DomesticParrot, Parrot and Bird and in that order.

      pol←⎕NEW DomesticParrot
      )CLEAR
This Polly is dead
This Parrot is dead
This Bird is dead
clear ws