Groovy metaClass closures vs dynamic mixins - groovy

Question

So I want to add methods to JDK classes like InputStream, File, etc. I'm trying to figure out what is the best way to do that, but it seems there are several options for doing it. One way is do this by adding methods into the metaClass property on the Class like so:
InputStream.metaClass.copy = { OutputStream out ->
long total = 0
byte[] buffer = new byte[8096]
int len
while ((len = read(buffer)) >= 0) {
out.write(buffer, 0, len)
total += len
}
out.flush()
return delegate
}
Another way is using dynamic mixins like this:
class EnhancedInputStream {
static {
InputStream.metaClass.mixin( EnhancedInputStream )
}
public InputStream copy( OutputStream out ) {
long total = 0
byte[] buffer = new byte[8096]
int len
while ((len = mixinOwner.read(buffer)) >= 0) {
out.write(buffer, 0, len)
total += len
}
out.flush()
return mixinOwner
}
}
So the first question is do dynamic Mixins replace the use of using metaClass + Closure to create mixins? The examples of dynamic mixins don't really discuss scoping rules in any detail that I can find. Which leads me to the next point.
You can see in the first code sample using metaClass I used delegate to get access to the this pointer of the class I was adding methods to. What is the equivalent way to do that using dynamic Mixins? All examples I've found are stateless (pointless really). I found one example mentioning a special member mixinOwner that could be used in place of delegate. Is that true?
Second you'll see I used a static block in EnhancedInputStream to add the mixin dynamically to InputStream. When using metaClass what is the best way to add those? Another static block with import statement?
I suppose I really want just a compile time Mixin where I can define the #Mixin on the source of the mixin instead of destination because I didn't write the destination. Like
#MixinInto(File)
public class EnhancedFileMixin {
public void zip( File output ) {
// .....
}
}
But that doesn't appear to exist in Groovy land. So what's the best approach to reach this using metaClass or dynamic mixins?

Answer 1

I guess the nearest to #MixinInto would be the magic package convention. I couldn't mix it into a interface, but i managed to mix it into a FileInputStream, if that suits your case. I guess you can add state using the MetaClass which comes in the constructor.
To write a class to be mixed into InputStream. It needs to be:
In the package groovy.runtime.metaclass.java.io
Named FileInputStreamMetaClass (exactly)
Compiled and put into the classpath
Extend DelegatingMetaClass
It can only intercept the GroovyObject methods, so it is not so straightforward. If you are in for a pure dynamic groovy, it is great:
package groovy.runtime.metaclass.java.io
class FileInputStreamMetaClass extends DelegatingMetaClass {
FileInputStreamMetaClass(MetaClass meta) {
super(meta)
println "built FileInputStreamMetaClass"
}
Object invokeMethod(Object delegate, String method, Object[] args) {
switch (method) {
case "copy":
return "i'm copying stuff"
default:
return super.invokeMethod(delegate, method, args)
}
}
}
Compiling:
$ groovyc FileInputStreamMetaClass.groovy
$ groovy -cp . InputTest.groovy
A test:
InputStream input = new FileInputStream("/tmp/test.tmp")
assert input.copy() == "i'm copying stuff"
A bit cumbersome.
I'd go for Extensions any time of the day. Three files:
// file META-INF/services/org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.ExtensionModule
moduleName=InputExtensionModule
moduleVersion=0.1
extensionClasses=InputStreamExtension
The extension:
class InputStreamExtension {
static String copy(InputStream input) {
"copying stuff, doc"
}
}
The test:
def input = new FileInputStream("/tmp/test.tmp")
assert input.copy() == "copying stuff, doc"
Compile and run:
$ groovyc InputStreamExtension.groovy
$ groovy ISExtensionTest.groovy
And i think the extension is the perfect place to use the static { mixin } block. With some changes:
class InputStreamExtension {
static {
InputStream.mixin InputStreamMixin
}
static String copy(InputStream input) { "copying stuff, doc" }
}
#Category(InputStream)
class InputStreamMixin {
Object pop() {
"input mixin pop"
}
}
A new test:
def input = new FileInputStream("/tmp/test.tmp")
assert input.copy() == "copying stuff, doc"
assert input.pop() == "input mixin pop"

Answer 2

Well I finally figured it out on my own. Essentially the this reference refers to the instance of the Mixin which doesn't do us much good. However, you can use the "as" keyword to convert that to the instance of the target class. For example:
class MyMixin {
static {
File mixin MyMixin
}
File foo() {
return this as File
}
}
File f = new File()
println( f.foo().equals( f ) )
As for mixinOwner and owner references that the jira bug refers to. They don't exist. This is the only way to get a reference to the instance that the mixin was added to.
I wrote up a longer blogpost about it because I thought this was important information for future Groovy programmers since there is zero official docs discussing this.
http://wrongnotes.blogspot.com/2013/06/groovy-mixins-and-this-pointer.html

Answer 3

I am glad you asked this question. To answer a very important question:
I suppose I really want just a compile time Mixin where I can define the #Mixin on the source of the mixin instead of destination because I didn't write the destination.
You cannot achieve this by #Mixin but we do have something in Groovy which will help you out. It is called #Category. Let me go through your example again to show you how you can actually effectively use this in category. Have a look at the below script:
#Category(InputStream)
class InputStreamCategory{
def copy(OutputStream out){
long total = 0
byte[] buffer = new byte[8096]
int len
while ((len = this.read(buffer)) >= 0) {
out.write(buffer, 0, len)
total += len
}
out.flush()
return this
}
}
class MyUtil{
def str = 'This is a dummy String!!!!'
InputStream inputS = new ByteArrayInputStream(str.bytes)
OutputStream outputS = new ByteArrayOutputStream()
def copy(){
use(InputStreamCategory){
inputS.copy(outputS)
println "Printing Output Stream: " + outputS
}
}
}
def util = new MyUtil()
util.copy()
//Prints:
Printing Output Stream: This is a dummy String!!!!
Explanation:-
#Category(InputStream) sets the this in InputStreamCategory and in your util class you just use the newly added method copy to InputStream. The benefit for using category is that you get hold of the caller object in this case inputS. The first parameter passed into a category always refers to the caller. You can have different categories for different implementations like FileCategory etc and then create an Utility Class to use those Categories. Therefore, you would end up with utilities like zip, copy, etc.
You could get detail information about the same from the api. I also highly recommend going through Category and Mixin Transformations.
To answer the first question:-
do dynamic Mixins replace the use of using metaClass + Closure to create mixins?
No they do not. metaClass implementation does not create a Mixin. It just adds another method in the metaData registry about the class while runtime. You get an handle to the delegate. On the other hand #Mixin gives you the ability to inherit pre-defined properties.