Creating pool dictionaries

Visual Programming User Guide : Appendixes : Appendix B. Calling external functions using Smalltalk : Creating record wrappers : Creating pool dictionaries

If you want to create a pool dictionary containing the constants defined in the source file, use the constants method of the AbtObjectTable class.

Creating pool dictionaries for C functions

For the C sample header (.H) file, enter the following code:

"Parse the C header file and initialize the OSObject subclass.

This assumes that the OSObject subclass SampleCATMStruct has

already been created. AbtRecordGenerator adds the specified

getter and setter selectors to the class."

"Also add the constants in the structure as a pool dictionary

so the constants can be used when calling the external

function."

| anObjectTable CATMConstants |

anObjectTable := AbtCLangParser parseFile: 'catm.h'.

AbtRecordGenerator new

generateAllFieldsFrom: (anObjectTable dataStructures

at: 'ATM_CUSTOMER' asSmalltalkGlobalIdentifier)

inClass: SampleCATMStruct.

CATMConstants := anObjectTable constants.

Smalltalk at: #SampleCATMConstants put: CATMConstants.

Creating pool dictionaries for COBOL functions

For the COBOL sample copybook, enter the following code:

"Parse the COBOL copy file and initialize the OSObject subclass.

This assumes that the OSObject subclass SampleCOBOLATMStruct has

already been created. AbtRecordGenerator adds the specified

getter and setter selectors to the class."

"Also add the constants in the structure as a pool dictionary

so the constants can be used when calling the external

function."

| anObjectTable COBOLATMConstants |

anObjectTable := AbtCOBOLLangParser parseFile: 'atm.cpy'.

AbtRecordGenerator new

generateAllFieldsFrom: (anObjectTable cobol01s

at: 'ATM-CUSTOMER' asSmalltalkGlobalIdentifier)

inClass: SampleCOBOLATMStruct.

COBOLATMConstants := anObjectTable constants.

Smalltalk at: #SampleCOBOLATMConstants put: COBOLATMConstants.

You can now use the constants in a method by modifying the method's class definition to include the pool dictionary you just created.

To view the constants in the pool dictionary you just created, type Smalltalk in the System Transcript window, select it, and select Inspect from its pop-up menu. Navigate the EsSmalltalkDictionary Inspector window to open a Dictionary Inspector on the pool dictionary you just created (SampleCATMConstants or SampleCOBOLATMConstants depending on the language you are using).

For more information on creating and loading pool dictionaries, refer to Programmer Reference.

Last modified date: 07/23/2020