convert 'objects' to a more literate style

content/objects.md

@@ -8,59 +8,63 @@ In Nimrod, objects are like structs from C family languages and define a groupin
 ``` nimrod
 type
   Animal* = object
-    name*, genus*, species*: string
+    name*, species*: string
-    age: int # Not exported
+    age: int
-  PAnimal* = ref Animal
 
 proc sleep*(a: var Animal) =
   a.age += 1
 
-# create a new Animal, mutable and not on the heap
+proc dead*(a: Animal): bool =
-var carl = Animal(name : "Carl",
+  result = a.age > 20
-                  genus : "Lama",
+
-                  species : "glama",
+var carl: Animal
+carl = Animal(name : "Carl",
+              species : "L. glama",
               age : 12)
 
-# create a new Animal, immutable and not on the heap
 let joe = Animal(name : "Joe",
-                 genus : "Homo",
+                 species : "H. sapiens",
-                 species : "sapiens",
                  age : 23)
 
-when false:
+assert not carl.dead
-  # Will not compile, Joe's value is immutable
+for i in 0..10:
-  joe.age = 57
+  carl.sleep()
+assert carl.dead
+```
 
-# Allocate an Animal on the heap
+Object types are declared in a type section, as usual. They can be exported, and individual fields can also be exported. Fields can be safely exported without violating encapsulation because call syntax is equivalent between them.
+
+Initially, `carl` is created on the stack and initialized to zeros, so its value is `[name = nil, species = nil, age = 0]`. It is mutable, so that means that the contents of `carl` can be changed. This also means it can be passed to functions that require a variable parameter, like `sleep()`, which can modify its value.
+
+`joe` is also created on the stack, but it's contents are immutable and can not be changed. Attempting to do so, say through `joe.age = 57`, will fail with an error at compile time.
+
+``` nimrod
 let mittens: ref Animal = new(Animal)
-# Fill out all the fields, the start out as 0's
+
 mittens.name = "Mittens"
-mittens.genus = "Panthera"
+mittens.species = "P. leo"
-mittens.species = "leo"
 mittens.age = 6
 
-# This also goes on the heap since PAnimal is a reference type.
+mittens.sleep()
-# Initialization is much nicer this way
+```
-let spot = PAnimal(name: "Spot",
+
-                   genus: "Canis",
+`mittens` is a reference to an object allocated on the heap. The value of `mittens` cannot be changed, so `mittens` can never point to anything else, but the value that `mittens` is pointing at can and is changed from the default initialization value of zeros. It's mutability also means that `mittens` can be passed to functions that require a variable parameter.
-                   species: "lupus",
+
-                   age: 1)
+You might ask whether there is a more concise way of initializing  reference types, and there is if you give the reference type a name:
-
+
-# Same as before, only pointer value is unchangeable
+``` nimrod
-# Pointee is modifiable
+type
-spot.age = 2
+  PAnimal* = ref Animal
-
+
-# Carl is copied, not a reference to Steve
+let spot = PAnimal(name: "Spot",
-var steve = carl
+                   species: "C. lupus",
-steve.name = "Steve"
+                   age: 1)
-# Carl's name is still "Carl"
+```
-assert carl.name == "Carl"
+
-assert steve.name == "Steve"
+In many cases it is only wanted to have the object be a reference type, which is possible by declaring it as a `ref object`.
-
+
-# Value of the pointer is copied
+``` nimrod
-let lucy = spot
+type
-lucy.name = "Lucy"
+  Thing* = ref object
-# Spot's name is now "Lucy"!
+    positionX*, positionY*: int
-assert spot.name == "Lucy"
-assert lucy.name == "Lucy"
 ```