180 lines
3.9 KiB
Text
180 lines
3.9 KiB
Text
class::Symbol
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summary::unique name
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categories::Core
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description::
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A Symbol is a name that is guaranteed to be unique. They can be used to represent
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symbolic constant values, link::Classes/Dictionary:: keys, etc.
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Symbols are represented syntactically as literals which are described in link::Reference/Literals#Symbols::.
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subsection::Creating a Symbol
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A symbol can be written by surrounding characters by single quotes (may include whitespace):
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code::'foo bar'::
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Or by a preceding backslash (then it may not include whitespace):
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code::\foo::
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A String can be converted into a symbol:
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code::"arbeit".scramble.asSymbol;::
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classmethods::
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private::new
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instancemethods::
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subsection::Testing
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method::isClassName
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Answer whether the symbol can be a class name. This does not say if the class exists.
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code::
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\Array.isClassName;
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\Bauxite.isClassName;
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::
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method::isMetaClassName
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Answer whether the symbol can be meta class name. This does not say if the class exists.
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code::
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\Meta_Array.isMetaClassName;
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::
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method::isSetter
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Answer whether the symbol has a trailing underscore.
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code::
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'action_'.isSetter;
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::
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method::isPrimitiveName
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Answer whether the symbol is a valid primitive name
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code::
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'_SymbolIsClassName'.isPrimitiveName;
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::
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subsection::Conversion
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method::asString
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Convert to a String
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method::asInteger
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Convert to an Integer
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method::asClass
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Answer the Class named by the receiver.
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method::asSetter
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Return a symbol with a trailing underscore added.
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method::asGetter
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Return a symbol with a trailing underscore removed.
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method::ascii
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return the ascii codes as an array
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method::asSpec
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Convert to a ControlSpec
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method::asTuning
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Convert to a Tuning
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method::asScale
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Convert to a Scale
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subsection::Environments
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Symbols are used as keys to look up objects in dictionaries and environments, but also in arrays.
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See link::Classes/IdentityDictionary::, link::Classes/Environment::, link::Classes/Event::
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code::
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a = ();
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a.put(\commune, 1871);
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a.at(\commune);
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::
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method::envirPut
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put a value to the current environment using receiver as key
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method::envirGet
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return a value from the current environment using receiver as key
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discussion::
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code::
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\foo.envirPut(100);
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\foo.envirGet;
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\foo.envirPut(nil);
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::
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subsection::Math
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Symbols respond to all unary and binary math operations by returning themselves. The result of any math operation between a Number or other math object and a Symbol is to return the Symbol. This allows for example operations on lists of notes which contain 'rest's to preserve the rests.
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code::Pseq([1, 3, \rest, 2, 4] + 8);::
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method::applyTo
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Use the symbol as a method selector and perform the message on firstArg, with args as arguments. This is used for mixing functions with method selectors (see also: Function).
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discussion::
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code::
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'%'.applyTo(2553, 345);
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['+', '-', '*', { |a, b| a.rand + b.rand } ].choose.applyTo(2, 3);
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::
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subsection::Synthesis
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Inside SynthDefs and UGen functions, symbols can be used to conveniently specify control inputs of different rates and with lags (see: NamedControl, ControlName, and Control).
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method::kr
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Return a control rate NamedControl input with a default value (val), and if supplied, with a lag. If val is an array, the control will be multichannel.
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discussion::
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code::
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a = { SinOsc.ar(\freq.kr(440, 1.2)) }.play;
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a.set(\freq, 330);
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a.release;
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a = { SinOsc.ar(\freq.kr([440, 460], 1.2)) }.play;
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a.setn(\freq, [330, 367]);
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a.release;
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::
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method::ar
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Return an audio rate NamedControl input with a default value (val), and if supplied, with a lag. If val is an array, the control will be multichannel.
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method::ir
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Return an initialization rate NamedControl input with a default value (val). If val is an array, the control will be multichannel.
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method::tr
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Return a TrigControl input with a default value (val). If val is an array, the control will be multichannel.
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discussion::
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code::
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a = { Ringz.ar(T2A.ar(\trig.tr), \freq.kr(500, 1), 0.8) }.play;
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a.set(\freq, 330, \trig, 1);
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a.set(\freq, 830, \trig, 1);
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a.release;
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::
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