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SWIG/Examples/ruby/class/

Wrapping a simple C++ class

$Header: /cvs/projects/SWIG/Examples/ruby/class/index.html,v 1.1.4.1 2001/08/30 10:48:04 cheetah Exp $

This example illustrates C++ class wrapping performed by SWIG. C++ classes are simply transformed into Ruby classes that provide methods to access class members.

The C++ Code

Suppose you have some C++ classes described by the following (and admittedly lame) header file:
/* File : example.h */

class Shape {
public:
  Shape() {
    nshapes++;
  }
  virtual ~Shape() {
    nshapes--;
  };
  double  x, y;   
  void    move(double dx, double dy);
  virtual double area() = 0;
  virtual double perimeter() = 0;
  static  int nshapes;
};

class Circle : public Shape {
private:
  double radius;
public:
  Circle(double r) : radius(r) { };
  virtual double area();
  virtual double perimeter();
};

class Square : public Shape {
private:
  double width;
public:
  Square(double w) : width(w) { };
  virtual double area();
  virtual double perimeter();
};

The SWIG interface

A simple SWIG interface for this can be built by simply grabbing the header file like this:
/* File : example.i */
%module example

%{
#include "example.h"
%}

/* Let's just grab the original header file here */
%include "example.h"
Note: when creating a C++ extension, you must run SWIG with the -c++ option like this:
% swig -c++ -ruby example.i

A sample Ruby script

Click here to see a script that calls the C++ functions from Ruby.

Key points

  • To create a new object, you call a constructor like this:
    c = Example::Circle.new(10)
    

  • To access member data, a pair of accessor methods are used. For example:
    c.x = 15    # Set member data
    x = c.x     # Get member data
    

  • To invoke a member function, you simply do this
    print "The area is ", c.area, "\n"
    

  • When a instance of Ruby level wrapper class is garbage collected by Ruby interpreter, the corresponding C++ destructor is automatically invoked. (Note: destructors are currently not inherited. This might change later. Until then, use -make_default).

  • Static member variables are wrapped as Ruby class accessor methods. For example:
    n = Shape.nshapes     # Get a static data member
    Shapes.nshapes = 13   # Set a static data member
    

General Comments

  • Ruby module of SWIG differs from other language modules in wrapping C++ interfaces. They provides lower-level interfaces and optional higher-level interfaces know as shadow classes. Ruby module needs no such redundancy due to Ruby's sophisticated extension API.

  • SWIG *does* know how to properly perform upcasting of objects in an inheritance hierarchy except for multiple inheritance.

  • A wide variety of C++ features are not currently supported by SWIG. Here is the short and incomplete list:

    • Overloaded methods and functions. SWIG wrappers don't know how to resolve name conflicts so you must give an alternative name to any overloaded method name using the %name directive like this:
      void foo(int a);  
      %name(foo2) void foo(double a, double b);
      

    • Overloaded operators. Not supported at all. The only workaround for this is to write a helper function. For example:
      %inline %{
          Vector *vector_add(Vector *a, Vector *b) {
                ... whatever ...
          }
      %}
      

    • Namespaces. Not supported at all. Won't be supported until SWIG2.0 (if at all).

  • Dave's snide remark: Like a large bottle of strong Tequilla, it's better to use C++ in moderation.