Reference - API

This section contains the reference manual for the API types of Tinman 3D.

API Type

This is the documentation layout for API types:

<type name>

Description

Derived from: <base type> ^{(abstract | sealed)?}
Extended by: <derived type> ^{(abstract | sealed)?}

(Public | Protected) / (Constants | Constructors | Methods | Attributes)

Each region lists the type members of the respective visibility and type, grouped by their family name. Group names are highlighted.

Extensions

Extension methods

Configuration

Support for scripting

Logging

Support for logging

Serialization

Support for serialization

The keywords used to describe the generic type parameters have the following meaning:

in: The type parameter is contravariant, i.e. it is used to pass in values.
out: The type parameter is covariant, i.e. it is used to return values.
ref: The type parameter is a reference type that points to an object.
val: The type parameter is a value type.

The other keywords are borrowed from C# and have the following meaning in the context of this documentation:

abstract: The type is incomplete and cannot be instantiated, only non-abstract subtypes may be instantiated.

sealed: It is not possible to extend the type, no subtypes can be derived from it.

static: The type defines only static members and cannot be instantiated.

class: A polymorphic type based on object with zero or more data fields and method implementations. Class types may only inherit from zero or one base classes but from any number of base interfaces.

delegate: A delegate type that wraps a method or function. Delegate types do not support inheritance.

enum: A primitive value type with a fixed set of possible values. Enum types do not support inheritance.

interface

A polymorphic type based on object with no data fields and no own method implementations. Interface types may inherit from zero or more interfaces.

To see all top-level interfaces (i.e. those that do not extend another interface), go to the documentation of object.

struct: A composite value type. Struct types may inherit from zero or more interfaces, but without polymorphic behaviour.

The region identifiers have the following meaning:

Public Types and their members may be accessed from anywhere.

Protected Types and their members may only be accessed from subclasses.

Constants are fields having a value that is determines at compile-time.

Constructors are special methods that create class instances. Factory methods count as constructors, as well.

Methods are static or instance functions.

Attributes are data fields. Property accessors count as attributes, as well.

Extensions are static methods that are injected into other types and behave as if they were non-polymorphic instance methods.

API Member

This is the documentation layout for API type members:

<member group name>

_n overloads

→ <TArg ^(in|out)? ^(ref|val)? : <base type>?>

<parameter> ^{(in|out|ref|opt)} <type^own?> = <default>?: [<precondition>]? <documentation>
returns → <type>: <documentation>

ThrownException: <documentation>
See also: <type or member link>

The documentation page shows only those members that are defined by the type. To see inherited members, please refer to the base type documentation.

The n overloads tag after the member group name indicates the number of members in the group. The idx tag after the member name indicates the ordinal number of the member in its group. Both tags are only shown if n is greater than 1.

The keywords are borrowed from C# and have the following meaning in the context of this documentation:

public: Public members may be accessed from anywhere.

protected: Protected members may only be accessed from subclasses.

abstract: The member is polymorphic and does not have an implementation. A subclass must override it to provide an implementation.

virtual: The member is polymorphic and may be overridden by subclasses.

override: The member overrides a polymorphic member of a base type.

sealed: The member is polymorphic but cannot be overridden any more.

static: The member is static and cannot be invoked on instances.

readonly: The attribute is a data field which may only be read from.

constant

A constant has a value that is determined at compile-time.

Enum items are documented with the constant keyword.

constructor: A constructor creates a new type instance.

method: A static or instance method with zero or more parameters and an optional return type

attribute: A value attribute, which may either be a data field, an accessor or a pair of accessors.

operator: A method that overloads an unary operator (e.g. -a) or a binary operator (e.g. a+b).
A property that overloads the element access operator (i.e. a[b]).

The (…) tag after <member name> is a visual aid for recognizing the member type quickly:

()
A method or constructor without parameters.
(N)
A method or constructor with N parameters.
(get)
A read-only property.
(set)
A write-only property.
(get,set)
A read/write property.
(<type>)
A field of the given <type>.
(<value:type>)
A constant with the given <value> and type.

The semantic of method and constructor parameters are indicated with these superscript tags:

in
The value is passed in and will only be read by the method or constructor.
out
The value is returned and will only be written by the method or constructor.
ref
The value is updated and will be read and written by the method or constructor.
opt
An optional in parameter with a default value which will be used if no argument is specified at the call site.