Re: Difference between method and block - with examples

You can use them like you would in any language but be aware that like in any other language, blocks retain the stack which they reference - so only use them if that's what you want. 

Here's an example of implementing a Smalltalk like ifTrue method with blocks:

	true ifTrue := method(a, a call; self)
	true ifFalse := method (a, self)
	false ifTrue := method(a, self)
	false ifFalse := method (a, a call; self)

example use:

	foo ifTrue(block(x := 1))

Though it's terser to do:

	if(foo, x := 1)

Note that unlike most other languages, we don't need to use blocks for control flow in Io since all arguments are passed as expressions and the receiver can determine if/how to eval them. Likewise, we also don't need conventional macros since we have far more control over evaluation than macros offer.

On 2011-06-12 Sun, at 05:50 AM, Shashank Date wrote:
> Where can I find examples of how to use "blocks" vs. methods? I have looked in the  samples folder but found none. Also trawled the internets without much luck. 
> 
> I am looking for something more than what is given here:http://www.iolanguage.com/scm/io/docs/IoGuide.html#Objects-Blocks
> 
> Thanks,
> - Shashank