Parrot Virtual Machine/Built-In PMCs

Built-in PMCs Parrot ships with a number of PMC data types built in. This means that these standard types are always available. This page is going to serve as a reference to these PMC types. We will not attempt to cover all the PMC types that are added specifically for other HLLs, libraries, or programs. (For information on using these PMC types, and on defining new PMC types, see the Parrot Virtual Machine/Polymorphic Containers (PMCs) chapter). The entries in this list should (A) contain a link to the relevant PMC documentation, and (B) provide a brief overview of the PMC and it's methods. AddrRegistry http://docs.parrot.org/parrot/latest/html/src/pmc/addrregistry.pmc.html Array http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/array.html A simple array class, serves as the base class for other array PMCs. This type of PMC is rarely used directly. Instead, more versatile array PMC types, such as ResizablePMCArray are used. Array specifies an interface that all other Array classes must share. It also provides a number of defaults that other array-like PMCs may default to. BigInt http://docs.parrot.org/parrot/latest/html/src/pmc/bignum.pmc.html A PMC type for storing an arbitrarily large number, or a number with arbitrary precision. Not currently implemented. Boolean http://docs.parrot.org/parrot/latest/html/src/pmc/boolean.pmc.html A boolean True/False PMC. Bound_NCI http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/bound_nci.html Capture http://docs.parrot.org/parrot/latest/html/src/pmc/capture.pmc.html Closure http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/closure.html Compiler http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/compiler.html A Compiler PMC for a particular language. Can be used to convert an HLL into PIR and eventually into Parrot Bytecode. Complex http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/complex.html A PMC for Complex numbers. Continuation http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/continuation.html A Continuation PMC allows Parrot to take a snapshot of the current state of the system to return to later. Coroutine http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/coroutine.html A sub-like PMC that implements a coroutine. Default http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/default.html Deleg_PMC http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/deleg_pmc.html Delegate http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/delegate .html Enumerate http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/enumerate.html Env http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/env.html Allows access to the system's environment variables, as a hash. Eval http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/eval.html Exception http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/exception.html An Exception PMC holds information about system errors for recovery. Exception_Handler http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/exception_handler.html A sub-like routine that catches and resolves exceptions Exporter http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/exporter.html File http://docs.parrot.org/parrot/latest/html/src/dynpmc/file.pmc.html A read/write interface for files FixedBooleanArray http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/fixedbooleanarray.html An array of fixed size of Boolean values. FixedFloatArray http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/fixedfloatarray.html An array of fixed size for FLOATVAL floating point numbers FixedPMCArray http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/fixedpmcarray.html An array of fixed size for PMC values FixedStringArray http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/fixedstringarray.html An array of fixed size for STRING values Float http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/float.html A floating point number PMC. Used similarly to a FLOATVAL, except has methods and vtable methods. FLOATVALs become Float PMCs when they are promoted to become a PMC. Hash http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/hash.html A hash, also known as a "dictionary" or an "associative array". Like an array but indexed with strings instead of integers Integer http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/integer.html A basic integer number PMC. Used similarly to an INTVAL, but with methods and vtable methods. INTVALS become Integer PMCs when they are promoted to become a PMC. IntList http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/intlist.html A simple list, or array, of integers. Iterator http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/iterator.html An Iterator PMC provides a stateful counter that enables you to iterate over the items in one of the array classes, one at a time. Key http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/key.html A value, typically a string, which is used to look up values in a hash. LexInfo http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/lexinfo.html LexPad http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/lexpad.html ManagedStruct http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/managedstruct.html A low-level structure whose memory is allocated and automatically deallocated by Parrot. Extends UnManagedStruct, but adds automatic memory collection. MultiArray http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/multiarray.html MultiSub http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/multisub.html A collection of subroutines with the same name. In Multiple Method Dispatch (MMD) the parameters of the function called determine which subroutine from the collection to call. Mutable Namespace http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/namespace.html Implements a Parrot namespace. Contains information about variables, subroutines, coroutines, and MultiSubs that are stored in that namespace. NCI http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/nci.html A native call function PMC. Stores interface information to a function which has been written in C. Null http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/null.html A PMC with a NUL value Object http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/object.html OrderedHash http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/orderedhash.html OS http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/os.html Pair http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/pair.html An association of a Key PMC with a PMC value. Hashes are typically implemented as an array of Pair PMCs ParrotClass http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/parrotclass.html ParrotInterpreter http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/parrotinterpreter.html An interface to the interpreter structure. ParrotIO http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/parrotio.html A read/write interface to the console ParrotLibrary http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/parrotlibrary.html A dynamically-loaded library object. ParrotObject http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/parrotobject.html ParrotRunningThread http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/parrotrunningthread.html ParrotThread http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/parrotthread.html A PMC that stores information about a thread Pmethod_test http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/pmethod_test.html Pointer http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/pointer.html Random http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/random.html Ref http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/ref.html ResizableBooleanArray http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/resizablebooleanarray.html A resizable array to store Boolean values ResizableFloatArray http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/resizablefloatarray.html A resizable array to store floating point values. ResizableIntegerArray http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/resizableintegerarray.html A resizable array to store integer values ResizablePMCArray http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/resizablepmcarray.html A resizable array to store PMC values ResizableStringArray http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/resizablestringarray.html A resizable array to store Strings RetContinuation http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/retcontinuation.html A return continuation. Like a regular Continuation PMC, but can only be used once. Can be promoted to a Continuation using the Clone vtable method. Role http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/role.html An abstract role, or interface, for a class. Specifies actions and properties of a class, but cannot be instantiated SArray http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/sarray.html SharedRef http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/sharedref.html Slice http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/slice.html SMOP_Attribute http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/smop_attribute.html SMOP_Class http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/smop_class.html STMLog http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/stmlog.html STMRef http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/stmref.html STMVar http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/stmvar.html String http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/string.html A PMC to contain a string value. Like a STRING value, but has methods and vtable methods. STRINGS become String PMCs when they are promoted to PMCs. Sub http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/sub.html A Parrot subroutine. Implements a basic subroutine (using the sub command in PIR), but also serves as a base class for more intricate sub-like classes Super http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/super.html A parent PMC class, to support multiple inheritance. Timer http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/timer.html TQueue http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/tqueue.html Undef http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/undef.html An undefined PMC with no usable type. UnamangedStruct http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/unamangedstruct.html A low-level structure which the programmer must manage manually. Parrot does not automatically collect memory allocated for the struct. Version http://www.parrotcode.org/docs/pmc/pmc/version.html VtableCache Command Line Options Parrot Virtual Machine Bytecode File Format