In the method reference documentation, there is some example code, copied below:
char8 GetNext()
{
if (i >= str.Length)
return 0;
return str[i++];
}
/* Allocates a delegate bound to GetNext() */
delegate char8() strDlg = scope => GetNext;
strDlg = scope () =>
{
return 'A';
};
strDlg = scope [&] () =>
{
return GetNext();
};
/* This delegate owns a string */
String tempStr = new String(str);
tempStr.EnsureNullTerminated();
strDlg = scope [&] () =>
{
return str[i++];
}
~
{
delete tempStr;
};
In two of the three examples of lambda definitions, there is a [&]
between the allocation expression (scope
) and the parameters of the lambda. What is that [&]
?
For additional examples, here are some excerpts from tests included in the IDE source:
struct Splattable
{
public int32 mA = 10;
public int16 mB = 200;
public void TestLambda() mut
{
delegate int(ref int a, ref int b) dlg = scope [&] (a, b) =>
{
a += 20;
b += 30;
mA++;
return mA + a + b;
};
mA = 100;
int testA = 8;
int testB = 9;
Test.Assert(dlg(ref testA, ref testB) == 100+1 + 20+8 + 30+9);
Test.Assert(testA == 28);
Test.Assert(testB == 39);
Test.Assert(mA == 101);
}
}
class ClassA
{
public int mA;
public void TestLambda()
{
delegate int(ref int a, ref int b) dlg = scope (a, b) =>
{
a += 20;
b += 30;
mA++;
return mA + a + b;
};
mA = 100;
int testA = 8;
int testB = 9;
Test.Assert(dlg(ref testA, ref testB) == 100+1 + 20+8 + 30+9);
Test.Assert(testA == 28);
Test.Assert(testB == 39);
Test.Assert(mA == 101);
}
}
Here's another set of example/tests from the IDEHelper part of the source code where every lambda definition has [&]
:
using System;
namespace Tests
{
class Lambdas
{
[Test]
static void TestBasics()
{
int a = 1;
Action act = scope [&] () =>
{
Action act2 = scope [&] () =>
{
a += 100;
};
act2();
};
act();
Test.Assert(a == 101);
}
static int Add3<T>(T func) where T : delegate int()
{
return func() + func() + func();
}
[Test]
static void TestValueless()
{
Test.Assert(Add3(() => 100) == 300);
int a = 20;
int result = Add3(() => a++);
Test.Assert(result == 63);
}
[Test]
static void LambdaWithDtor()
{
int a = 10;
int b = 20;
//
{
delegate void() dlg = scope [&] () =>
{
a++;
}
~
{
b++;
};
dlg();
}
Test.Assert(a == 11);
Test.Assert(b == 21);
delegate void() dlg = new [&] () =>
{
a += 100;
}
~
{
b += 200;
};
dlg();
Test.Assert(a == 111);
Test.Assert(b == 21);
delete dlg;
Test.Assert(b == 221);
}
}
}
Finally, [&]
may be not strictly a lambda thing. I can put it in other definitions like let s = new [&] String();
and it compiles with no issue and as far as I can tell runs with the same outcome as without it. But, I haven't yet seen it occur anywhere else in example/test code.
[&] Means capture any referenced locals by reference rather than by value.
In the example, for ClassA this
is being passed by value to the lambda. Effectively: this.mA++;