From: Paul Lutus <nospam@...>
Date: 2006-10-23T20:25:24+09:00
Subject: Re: newbie: class attribute accessors?

Diego Virasoro wrote:

/ ...

> However, I would like to do something similar for class variables. So
> for example in the above example, for @@NumberOfLegs.
> 
> Is this possible?

I don't think so (and I am certainly open to correction), and I think I know
the reason. A class variable belongs to the class, not to any particular
instance. The accessor shortcuts are meant to make instance variables
available, but you need to think what would happen if any instance could
change the class variables.

Class variables are meant to hold values the entire class hold in common.
These variables should not ordinarily be modifiable by any particular
instance. Also, if accessor functions existed for class variables, this
would essentially allow them to be modified globally, by anyone, without
any of the usual protections. Further, such an accessor feature would exist
at the class level, just like the variables it modified, so no instance
would need to be created.

Again, I could be wrong about this.

-- 
Paul Lutus
http://www.arachnoid.com