Native: Class

The base Class of the MooTools framework.

Class Method: constructor

Syntax:

var MyClass = new Class(properties);

Arguments:

1. properties - (object) The collection of properties that apply to the Class. Also accepts some special properties such as Extends, Implements, and initialize (see below).

Property: Extends

• (class) The Class that this class will extend.

The methods of This Class that have the same name as the Extends Class, will have a parent property, that allows you to call the other overridden method.

Property: Implements

• (object) A passed object's properties will be copied into this Class.
• (class) The properties of a passed Class will be copied into the target Class.
• (array) An array of objects or Classes, the properties of which will be copied into this Class.

Implements is similar to Extends, except that it overrides properties without inheritance. Useful when implementing a default set of properties in multiple Classes.

Property: initialize

• (function) The initialize function will be the constructor for this class when new instances are created.

Returns:

• (class) The created Class.

Examples:

Class Example:

var Cat = new Class({
    initialize: function(name){
        this.name = name;
    }
});
var myCat = new Cat('Micia');
alert(myCat.name); //alerts 'Micia'
 
var Cow = new Class({
    initialize: function(){
        alert('moooo');
    }
});
var Effie = new Cow($empty); //Will not alert 'moooo', because the initialize method is overridden by the $empty function.

Extends Example:

var Animal = new Class({
    initialize: function(age){
        this.age = age;
    }
});
var Cat = new Class({
    Extends: Animal,
    initialize: function(name, age){
        this.parent(age); //will call initalize of Animal
        this.name = name;
    }
});
var myCat = new Cat('Micia', 20);
alert(myCat.name); //Alerts 'Micia'.
alert(myCat.age); //Alerts 20.

Implements Example:

var Animal = new Class({
    initialize: function(age){
        this.age = age;
    }
});
var Cat = new Class({
    Implements: Animal,
    setName: function(name){
        this.name = name
    }
});
var myAnimal = new Cat(20);
myAnimal.setName('Micia');
alert(myAnimal.name); //Alerts 'Micia'.

Class Method: implement

Implements the passed in properties into the base Class prototypes, altering the base Class. The same as creating a new Class with the Implements property, but handy when you need to modify existing classes.

Syntax:

MyClass.implement(properties);

Arguments:

1. properties - (object) The properties to add to the base Class.

Examples:

var Animal = new Class({
    initialize: function(age){
        this.age = age;
    }
});
Animal.implement({
    setName: function(name){
        this.name = name;
    }
});
var myAnimal = new Animal(20);
myAnimal.setName('Micia');
alert(myAnimal.name); //alerts 'Micia'