scala.actors

# Actor

#### object Actor extends Combinators with Serializable

Provides functions for the definition of actors, as well as actor operations, such as `receive`, `react`, `reply`, etc.

Source
  Actor.scala

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Serializable, java.io.Serializable, Combinators, AnyRef, Any
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2. Serializable
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### Value Members

1. #### final def !=(arg0: AnyRef): Boolean

   Definition Classes
     AnyRef

2. #### final def !=(arg0: Any): Boolean

   Test two objects for inequality.

   Test two objects for inequality.

   returns

     `true` if !(this == that), false otherwise.

   Definition Classes
     Any

3. #### final def ##(): Int

   Equivalent to `x.hashCode` except for boxed numeric types and `null`.

   Equivalent to `x.hashCode` except for boxed numeric types and `null`. For numerics, it returns a hash value which is consistent with value equality: if two value type instances compare as true, then ## will produce the same hash value for each of them. For `null` returns a hashcode where `null.hashCode` throws a `NullPointerException`.

   returns

     a hash value consistent with ==

   Definition Classes
     AnyRef → Any

4. #### final def ==(arg0: AnyRef): Boolean

   Definition Classes
     AnyRef

5. #### final def ==(arg0: Any): Boolean

   Test two objects for equality.

   Test two objects for equality. The expression `x == that` is equivalent to `if (x eq null) that eq null else x.equals(that)`.

   returns

     `true` if the receiver object is equivalent to the argument; `false` otherwise.

   Definition Classes
     Any

6. #### def ?: Any

   Receives the next message from the mailbox of the current actor `self`.

7. #### object State extends Enumeration

   State of an actor.

8. #### def actor(body: ⇒ Unit): Actor

   Factory method for creating and starting an actor.

   Factory method for creating and starting an actor.

   body

     the code block to be executed by the newly created actor

   returns

     the newly created actor. Note that it is automatically started.

   Example:

   1.     import scala.actors.Actor._
          ...
          val a = actor {
            ...
          }

9. #### final def asInstanceOf[T0]: T0

   Cast the receiver object to be of type `T0`.

   Cast the receiver object to be of type `T0`.

   Note that the success of a cast at runtime is modulo Scala's erasure semantics. Therefore the expression `1.asInstanceOf[String]` will throw a `ClassCastException` at runtime, while the expression `List(1).asInstanceOf[List[String]]` will not. In the latter example, because the type argument is erased as part of compilation it is not possible to check whether the contents of the list are of the requested type.

   returns

     the receiver object.

   Definition Classes
     Any
   Exceptions thrown
     ClassCastException

     if the receiver object is not an instance of the erasure of type `T0`.

10. #### def clearSelf(): Unit

    Removes any reference to an `Actor` instance currently stored in thread-local storage.

    Removes any reference to an `Actor` instance currently stored in thread-local storage.

    This allows to release references from threads that are potentially long-running or being re-used (e.g. inside a thread pool). Permanent references in thread-local storage are a potential memory leak.

11. #### def clone(): AnyRef

    Create a copy of the receiver object.

    Create a copy of the receiver object.

    The default implementation of the `clone` method is platform dependent.

    returns

      a copy of the receiver object.

    Attributes
      protected[java.lang]
    Definition Classes
      AnyRef
    Annotations
      @throws()
    Note

      not specified by SLS as a member of AnyRef

12. #### def continue(): Unit

    Continues with the execution of the closure registered as continuation following `andThen`.

    Continues with the execution of the closure registered as continuation following `andThen`. Continues with the execution of the next loop iteration when invoked inside the body of `loop` or `loopWhile`.

    Definition Classes
      Combinators

13. #### final def eq(arg0: AnyRef): Boolean

    Tests whether the argument (`arg0`) is a reference to the receiver object (`this`).

    Tests whether the argument (`arg0`) is a reference to the receiver object (`this`).

    The `eq` method implements an equivalence relation on non-null instances of `AnyRef`, and has three additional properties:

    - It is consistent: for any non-null instances `x` and `y` of type `AnyRef`, multiple invocations of `x.eq(y)` consistently returns `true` or consistently returns `false`.
    - For any non-null instance `x` of type `AnyRef`, `x.eq(null)` and `null.eq(x)` returns `false`.
    - `null.eq(null)` returns `true`.

    When overriding the `equals` or `hashCode` methods, it is important to ensure that their behavior is consistent with reference equality. Therefore, if two objects are references to each other (`o1 eq o2`), they should be equal to each other (`o1 == o2`) and they should hash to the same value (`o1.hashCode == o2.hashCode`).

    returns

      `true` if the argument is a reference to the receiver object; `false` otherwise.

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef

14. #### def equals(arg0: Any): Boolean

    The equality method for reference types.

    The equality method for reference types. Default implementation delegates to `eq`.

    See also `equals` in scala.Any.

    returns

      `true` if the receiver object is equivalent to the argument; `false` otherwise.

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef → Any

15. #### def eventloop(f: PartialFunction[Any, Unit]): Nothing

16. #### def exit(): Nothing

    Terminates execution of `self` with the following effect on linked actors:

    Terminates execution of `self` with the following effect on linked actors:

    For each linked actor `a` with `trapExit` set to `true`, send message `Exit(self, 'normal)` to `a`.

17. #### def exit(reason: AnyRef): Nothing

    Terminates execution of `self` with the following effect on linked actors:

    Terminates execution of `self` with the following effect on linked actors:

    For each linked actor `a` with `trapExit` set to `true`, send message `Exit(self, reason)` to `a`.

    For each linked actor `a` with `trapExit` set to `false` (default), call `a.exit(reason)` if `reason != 'normal`.

18. #### def finalize(): Unit

    Called by the garbage collector on the receiver object when there are no more references to the object.

    Called by the garbage collector on the receiver object when there are no more references to the object.

    The details of when and if the `finalize` method is invoked, as well as the interaction between `finalize` and non-local returns and exceptions, are all platform dependent.

    Attributes
      protected[java.lang]
    Definition Classes
      AnyRef
    Annotations
      @throws()
    Note

      not specified by SLS as a member of AnyRef

19. #### final def getClass(): Class[_]

    A representation that corresponds to the dynamic class of the receiver object.

    A representation that corresponds to the dynamic class of the receiver object.

    The nature of the representation is platform dependent.

    returns

      a representation that corresponds to the dynamic class of the receiver object.

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef → Any
    Note

      not specified by SLS as a member of AnyRef

20. #### def hashCode(): Int

    The hashCode method for reference types.

    The hashCode method for reference types. See hashCode in scala.Any.

    returns

      the hash code value for this object.

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef → Any

21. #### final def isInstanceOf[T0]: Boolean

    Test whether the dynamic type of the receiver object is `T0`.

    Test whether the dynamic type of the receiver object is `T0`.

    Note that the result of the test is modulo Scala's erasure semantics. Therefore the expression `1.isInstanceOf[String]` will return `false`, while the expression `List(1).isInstanceOf[List[String]]` will return `true`. In the latter example, because the type argument is erased as part of compilation it is not possible to check whether the contents of the list are of the specified type.

    returns

      `true` if the receiver object is an instance of erasure of type `T0`; `false` otherwise.

    Definition Classes
      Any

22. #### def link(body: ⇒ Unit): Actor

    Links `self` to the actor defined by `body`.

    Links `self` to the actor defined by `body`.

    body

      the body of the actor to link to

    returns

      the parameter actor

23. #### def link(to: AbstractActor): AbstractActor

    Links `self` to actor `to`.

    Links `self` to actor `to`.

    to

      the actor to link to

    returns

      the parameter actor

24. #### def loop(body: ⇒ Unit): Unit

    Repeatedly executes `body`.

    Repeatedly executes `body`.

    body

      the block to be executed

    Definition Classes
      Combinators

25. #### def loopWhile(cond: ⇒ Boolean)(body: ⇒ Unit): Unit

    Repeatedly executes `body` while the condition `cond` is `true`.

    Repeatedly executes `body` while the condition `cond` is `true`.

    cond

      the condition to test

    body

      the block to be executed

    Definition Classes
      Combinators

26. #### def mailboxSize: Int

    Returns the number of messages in `self`'s mailbox

    Returns the number of messages in `self`'s mailbox

    returns

      the number of messages in `self`'s mailbox

27. #### implicit def mkBody[a](body: ⇒ a): InternalActor.Body[a]

    Enables the composition of suspendable closures using `andThen`, `loop`, `loopWhile`, etc.

    Enables the composition of suspendable closures using `andThen`, `loop`, `loopWhile`, etc.

    Definition Classes
      Actor → Combinators

28. #### final def ne(arg0: AnyRef): Boolean

    Equivalent to `!(this eq that)`.

    Equivalent to `!(this eq that)`.

    returns

      `true` if the argument is not a reference to the receiver object; `false` otherwise.

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef

29. #### final def notify(): Unit

    Wakes up a single thread that is waiting on the receiver object's monitor.

    Wakes up a single thread that is waiting on the receiver object's monitor.

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef
    Note

      not specified by SLS as a member of AnyRef

30. #### final def notifyAll(): Unit

    Wakes up all threads that are waiting on the receiver object's monitor.

    Wakes up all threads that are waiting on the receiver object's monitor.

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef
    Note

      not specified by SLS as a member of AnyRef

31. #### def react(f: PartialFunction[Any, Unit]): Nothing

    Lightweight variant of `receive`.

    Lightweight variant of `receive`.

    Actions in `f` have to contain the rest of the computation of `self`, as this method will never return.

    A common method of continuting the computation is to send a message to another actor:

        react {
        case Get(from) =>
          react {
            case Put(x) => from ! x
          }
        }

    Another common method is to use `loop` to continuously `react` to messages:

        loop {
        react {
          case Msg(data) => // process data
        }
        }

    f

      a partial function specifying patterns and actions

    returns

      this function never returns

32. #### def reactWithin(msec: Long)(f: PartialFunction[Any, Unit]): Nothing

    Lightweight variant of `receiveWithin`.

    Lightweight variant of `receiveWithin`.

    Actions in `f` have to contain the rest of the computation of `self`, as this method will never return.

    msec

      the time span before timeout

    f

      a partial function specifying patterns and actions

    returns

      this function never returns

33. #### def reactor(body: ⇒ Responder[Unit]): Actor

    Factory method for creating actors whose body is defined using a `Responder`.

    Factory method for creating actors whose body is defined using a `Responder`.

    body

      the `Responder` to be executed by the newly created actor

    returns

      the newly created actor. Note that it is automatically started.

    Example:

    1.     import scala.actors.Actor._
           import Responder.exec
           ...
           val a = reactor {
             for {
               res <- b !! MyRequest;
               if exec(println("result: "+res))
             } yield {}
           }

34. #### def receive[A](f: PartialFunction[Any, A]): A

    Receives a message from the mailbox of `self`.

    Receives a message from the mailbox of `self`. Blocks if no message matching any of the cases of `f` can be received.

    f

      a partial function specifying patterns and actions

    returns

      the result of processing the received message

    Example:

    1.     receive {
           case "exit" => println("exiting")
           case 42 => println("got the answer")
           case x:Int => println("got an answer")
           }

35. #### def receiveWithin[R](msec: Long)(f: PartialFunction[Any, R]): R

    Receives a message from the mailbox of `self`.

    Receives a message from the mailbox of `self`. Blocks at most `msec` milliseconds if no message matching any of the cases of `f` can be received. If no message could be received the `TIMEOUT` action is executed if specified.

    msec

      the time span before timeout

    f

      a partial function specifying patterns and actions

    returns

      the result of processing the received message

36. #### def reply(): Unit

    Sends `()` to the actor waiting in a call to `!?`.

37. #### def reply(msg: Any): Unit

    Sends `msg` to the actor waiting in a call to `!?`.

38. #### def resetProxy(): Unit

    Resets an actor proxy associated with the current thread.

    Resets an actor proxy associated with the current thread. It replaces the implicit `ActorProxy` instance of the current thread (if any) with a new instance.

    This permits to re-use the current thread as an actor even if its `ActorProxy` has died for some reason.

39. #### def respondOn[A, B](fun: (PartialFunction[A, Unit]) ⇒ Nothing): (PartialFunction[A, B]) ⇒ Responder[B]

    Converts a synchronous event-based operation into an asynchronous `Responder`.

    Converts a synchronous event-based operation into an asynchronous `Responder`.

    Example:

    1.     val adder = reactor {
           for {
             _ <- respondOn(react) { case Add(a, b) => reply(a+b) }
           } yield {}
           }

40. #### def self: Actor

    Returns the currently executing actor.

    Returns the currently executing actor. Should be used instead of `this` in all blocks of code executed by actors.

    returns

      returns the currently executing actor.

41. #### def sender: OutputChannel[Any]

    Returns the actor which sent the last received message.

42. #### final def synchronized[T0](arg0: ⇒ T0): T0

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef

43. #### def toString(): String

    Creates a String representation of this object.

    Creates a String representation of this object. The default representation is platform dependent. On the java platform it is the concatenation of the class name, "@", and the object's hashcode in hexadecimal.

    returns

      a String representation of the object.

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef → Any

44. #### def unlink(from: AbstractActor): Unit

    Unlinks `self` from actor `from`.

    Unlinks `self` from actor `from`.

    from

      the actor to unlink from

45. #### final def wait(): Unit

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef
    Annotations
      @throws()

46. #### final def wait(arg0: Long, arg1: Int): Unit

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef
    Annotations
      @throws()

47. #### final def wait(arg0: Long): Unit

    Definition Classes
      AnyRef
    Annotations
      @throws()

### Inherited from Serializable

### Inherited from java.io.Serializable

### Inherited from Combinators

### Inherited from AnyRef

### Inherited from Any

### Ungrouped