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[REBOL] How do I dynamically extend an object! instance

From: bobr:dprc at: 9-Sep-2000 23:50

I have an existing dataase of saved objects which I wish to add fields to (IE add words:). I probably only want to add the words if I absolutely must in order to keep size down. I also may already have added a particular word to an object instance and dont wish to overwrite the value already associated with that word. Here is what I have so far. questions follow below. object-addword: func [ { add a word only if it is not already there, returns a new instance of the object examples myobj: object-addword myobj emailaddr dbrecord: object-addword/initial dbrecord areacode 978 } o [object!] "the object to have a word added" 'w1 [any-word!] "the word to add" /initial vdef [any-type!] "provide initial value for the word" /local mb "mini block" ] [ if not find (first o) w1 [ ; try to emulate: set/any in o w1 none mb: do rejoin [ {[} :w1 {: none ]} ] o: make o mb if initial [ set/any in o w1 vdef ] ] return o ] ;-------- for discussion: - can this be written more succinctly yet not hardcode anything about the object? - can it be done without creating a new instance? - can a corresponding function for removing a word from an object be written without evaluating all the other words/elements? I have tried several arrangements for the arguments and names for the function. I have settled on object-addword rcvrobj operand - are the precedents for putting the word operand first? - since, from context, you can tell which argument is the object and which is simply a word which may need to be added to the object, why not make the function figure out which argument is which type and do the right thing regardless of how it is called? can this be coded without resorting to second-level functions? - is a better name for the function possible? I have considered 'object+ and 'object+word as potential names. Is there a precedent that I have missed? ;# mailto: [bobr--dprc--net]