methods (version 3.3.3)

methods-package:

Description

Formally defined methods and classes for R objects, plus other programming tools, as described in the references.

Arguments

Details

This package provides the “S4” or “S version 4” approach to methods and classes in a functional language. For basic use of the techniques, start with Introduction and follow the links there to the key functions for programming, notably setClass and setMethod. Some specific topics:
Classes:
Creating one, see setClass; examining definitions, see getClassDef and ; inheritance and coercing, see is and as
Generic functions:
Basic programming, see setGeneric; the class of objects, see ; other functions to examine or manipulate them, see GenericFunctions.
S3:
Using classes, see setOldClass; methods, see Methods_for_S3.
Reference classes:
See ReferenceClasses.
Class unions; virtual classes
See setClassUnion.
These pages will have additional links to related topics. For a complete list of functions and classes, use library(help="methods").

References

Chambers, John M. (2016) Extending R, Chapman & Hall. (Chapters 9 and 10.) Chambers, John M. (2008) Software for Data Analysis: Programming with R Springer. (Chapter 10 has some additional details.)