Creating Kinds

Creating Kinds

enyo.kind

enyo.kind(inProps) is the Enyo framework's method for generating kinds. A kind, you'll recall, is a constructor-with-prototype (like a class) that has advanced features like prototype-chaining (inheritance).

A plug-in system is included for extending the abilities of the kind generator, and constructors are allowed to perform custom operations when subclassed.

In this article, we look at several things that happen when enyo.kind is invoked. To learn about what happens once you have an instantiated object, see Object Lifecycle.

Special Property Names

Generally, the properties defined in the passed-in inProps object are copied directly to the generated prototype, but certain property names trigger special processing. Some examples of special properties are:

• name: Defines the name of the created constructor in the global namespace (intermediate objects are created automatically). name is not copied directly to the prototype, but is instead stored as kindName.

    // Create a function MyNamespace.MyKind with a prototype.
    // MyNamespace.MyKind.prototype.kindName is set to "MyNamespace.MyKind".
    // MyNamespace.MyKind.prototype.plainProperty is set to "foo".
    enyo.kind({
    	name: "MyNamespace.MyKind"
    	plainProperty: "foo"
    });
    // Make an instance of the new kind.
    var myk = new MyNamespace.MyKind();
  

• kind: The name of, or a reference to, a kind to derive from, like a superclass. The new constructor's prototype is chained to the prototype specified by kind, and the base property in the new prototype is set to reference the kind constructor.

    	// Create a function MyKind with a prototype, derived from enyo.Object.
    	// MyKind.prototype.kindName is set to "MyKind".
    	// MyKind.prototype.base is set to enyo.Object.
    	enyo.kind({
    		name: "MyKind",
    		kind: enyo.Object
    	});
  

• constructor: A function to call when a new instance is created; it is actually stored on the prototype as _constructor.

    // Create a function MyKind with a prototype, derived from enyo.Object.
    // _constructor_ is called when an instance is created. 
    enyo.kind({
    	name: "MyKind",
    	kind: enyo.Object,
    	constructor: function() {
    		this.instanceArray = [];
    		// Call the constructor inherited from Object
    		this.inherited(arguments);
    	}
    });
  

• statics: Properties from any statics object are copied onto the constructor directly, instead of the prototype.

    // Create a kind with a static method.
    enyo.kind({
    	name: "MyKind",
    	statics: {
    		info: function() {
    			return "MyKind is a kind with statics.";
    		}
    	}
    });
    // Invoke the static info() method of MyKind.
    console.log(MyKind.info());
  

Certain kinds in the framework define their own special properties, e.g., the published property supported by enyo.Object.

this.inherited

this.inherited allows you to easily call the superkind method for any method that has been overridden:

	enyo.kind({
		name: "MyKind",
		doWork: function() {
			this.work++;
		}
	});

	enyo.kind({
		name: "MyDerivedKind",
		kind: "MyKind",
		doWork: function() {
			if (this.shouldDoWork) {
				this.inherited(arguments);
			}
		}
	});

The first argument to this.inherited must be the literal arguments, which is a special JavaScript variable containing information about the executing function.

For more information on the proper usage of this.inherited, see Object Lifecycle.

Additional Reading

• Event Handling
• Published Properties