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Section 8.2: Binary Classes
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This section of the required library contains definitions of those
abstractions and classes which define objects as bit-patterns only. No
semantics other than pattern equality testing are defined for these
classes.
Abstract Classes
- $BIT_PATTERN - an abstraction for
any class which is constructed to have the semantics of single
immutable bit-pattern entities.
- $BINARY - an abstraction for any class
for which conversion between the class value and a sequence of octets
is possible.
Immutable Classes
- BIT - this version of the language defined
class BIT includes additional
text representation services and some conversion features. The
specification is otherwise identical.
- OCTET - this class defines storage units
which have exactly eight bits - deriving from AVAL{BIT}.
- HEXTET - this class defines storage units
which have sixteen bits - deriving from AVAL{BIT}.
- QUADBITS - this class defines storage
units which have thirty two bits - deriving from AVAL{BIT}.
Reference Classes
- BINSTR - this class implements the notion
of a string of OCTETs which has immutable
semantics.
- FBINSTR - this class implements the
notion of a string of OCTETs which has
reference semantics.
- BIN_CURSOR - this class implements the
concept of an indexed buffer from which chunks can be taken for use as
necessary.
Comments or enquiries should be made to Keith
Hopper.
Page last modified: Friday, 10 March
2000. |
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