ActionScript 3 Using the Proxy Class Implementation

Example

The other thing about Proxy class, and why it is not so popular, is that it is rather difficult to fathom a problem that exactly needs a dynamic class with a controllable access to its dynamic properties and methods as a most appropriate solution. Every time I tried to use Proxy, I have ended up resorting to something else, simpler and more controllable.

However, let us not be discouraged. I like the idea of addressing the last array elements by [-1], [-2], etc indices in Python. Might be not a big feat, but it feels nice to use that rather than long and clumsy someArray[someArray.length - 1]. Lets see what we can do about it.

package
{
    import flash.utils.Proxy;
    import flash.utils.flash_proxy;
    
    /**
     * Pyaray the Tentacled Whisperer of Impossible Secrets.
     */
    
    dynamic public class PyArray extends Proxy
    {
        private var data:Array;
        
        public function PyArray(...args:Array)
        {
            if (args.length == 0)
            {
                data = new Array;
            }
            else if ((args.length == 1) && (args[0] is Array))
            {
                data = args[0];
            }
            else
            {
                data = args;
            }
        }
        
        // This is a getter proxy to all the available Array
        // elements and properties and, sometimes, methods.
        override flash_proxy function getProperty(name:*):*
        {
            var anIndex:int = name;
            
            // Handle the int indices of the Array elements.
            if (anIndex == name)
            {
                // Handle the -1, -2, etc indexing.
                if (anIndex < 0) anIndex += data.length;
                
                if (anIndex >= data.length) return null;
                if (anIndex < 0) return null;
                
                return data[anIndex];
            }
            
            // Handle the existing public Array properties.
            if (data.hasOwnProperty(name)) return data[name];
            
            // Handle the Array methods addressed via ["member"] access.
            try
            {
                if (data[name] is Function) return data[name];
                else throw new Error;
            }
            catch (fail:Error)
            {
                trace("[PyArray] is unable to resolve property \"" + name + "\".");
            }
            
            return null;
        }
        
        // This will set either elements, or settable properties.
        override flash_proxy function setProperty(name:*, value:*):void
        {
            var anIndex:int = name;
            
            // Handle the int indices of the Array elements.
            if (anIndex == name)
            {
                // Handle the -1, -2, etc indexing.
                if (anIndex < 0) anIndex += data.length;
                
                // In case the element index is out of range,
                // the PyArray will extend its data Array.
                // if (anIndex >= data.length) return;
                if (anIndex < 0) return;
                
                data[anIndex] = value;
                
                return;
            }
            
            // Handle the existing (or dynamic) public Array properties.
            try
            {
                data[name] = value;
            }
            catch (fail:Error)
            {
                trace("[PyArray] is unable to set property \"" + name + "\".");
            }
            
            return;
        }
        
        // This allows to delete PyArray elements with "delete" operator.
        override flash_proxy function deleteProperty(name:*):Boolean
        {
            var anIndex:int = name;
            
            // Handle the int indices of the Array elements.
            if (anIndex == name)
            {
                // Handle the -1, -2, etc indexing.
                if (anIndex < 0) anIndex += data.length;
                
                if (anIndex >= data.length) return false;
                if (anIndex < 0) return false;
                
                data.splice(anIndex, 1);
                
                return true;
            }
            
            // Handle the dynamic public Array properties.
            try
            {
                delete data[name];
                return true;
            }
            catch (fail:Error)
            {
                trace("[PyArray] is unable to delete the \"" + name + "\" property.");
            }
            
            return false;
        }
        
        // This proxies any attempt to call a method on PyArray directly to data Array, thus
        // all Array methods (including "toString" method called through trace) are available.
        override flash_proxy function callProperty(name:*, ...rest):*
        {
            try
            {
                return (data[name] as Function).apply(data, rest);
            }
            catch (fail:Error)
            {
                trace("[PyArray] is unable to resolve method \"" + name + "\".");
                return null;
            }
        }
        
        // This allows PyArray to handle for..in and for..each..in loops.
        // The initial call starts with zero, so we need to do this +1 -1 magic
        // in order for enumeration to work correctly. I'm not happy with this either.
        override flash_proxy function nextNameIndex(index:int):int
        {
            if (index >= data.length) return 0;
            else return index + 1;
        }
        
        // This method handles the for..in loop.
        override flash_proxy function nextName(index:int):String
        {
            return (index - 1).toString();
        }
        
        // This method handles the for..each..in loop.
        override flash_proxy function nextValue(index:int):*
        {
            return data[index - 1];
        }
    }
}