> On Jun 19, 2024, at 2:36 PM, Ilija Tovilo <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Wed, Jun 19, 2024 at 2:34 PM Erick de Azevedo Lima
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>> New expressions continue to not be supported in (static and non-static)
>> property initializers and class constant initializers. The reasons for this
>> are twofold:
>> [snip]
>> For static property initializers and class constant initializers a different
>> evaluation order issue arises. Currently, these initializers are evaluated
>> lazily the first time a class is used in a certain way (e.g. instantiated).
>> Once initializers can contain potentially side-effecting expressions, it
>> would be preferable to have a more well-defined evaluation order. However,
>> the straightforward approach of evaluating initilizers when the class is
>> declared would break certain existing code patterns. In particular,
>> referencing a class that is declared later in the same file would no longer
>> work.
>
> Lazy evaluation might be ok if order is clearly defined.
Consider that some uses for a static function need to always occur no matter
whether or not any other method of the class is called. My previous email [1]
covered several.
Here [2] is a discussion on StackOverflow of "hooks" that should be eagerly
loaded.
Thus I think it important that if lazy evaluation is used for static
initializers then it should be an option, and ideally one that is opt-in vs.
opt-out, e.g.:
class Foo {
private static lazy function __staticConstruct():void {
// Do initialization stuff here
}
}
-Mike
[1] https://externals.io/message/123675#123684
<https://externals.io/message/123675#123684>
[2] https://stackoverflow.com/a/2400206/102699
<https://stackoverflow.com/a/2400206/102699>
