rhai/doc/src/rust/operators.md
2020-07-08 09:48:25 +08:00

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Operator Overloading
===================
{{#include ../links.md}}
In Rhai, a lot of functionalities are actually implemented as functions, including basic operations
such as arithmetic calculations.
For example, in the expression "`a + b`", the `+` operator is _not_ built in, but calls a function named "`+`" instead!
```rust
let x = a + b;
let x = +(a, b); // <- the above is equivalent to this function call
```
Similarly, comparison operators including `==`, `!=` etc. are all implemented as functions,
with the stark exception of `&&` and `||`. Because they [_short-circuit_]({{rootUrl}}/language/logic.md#boolean-operators),
`&&` and `||` are handled specially and _not_ via a function; as a result, overriding them has no effect at all.
Overload Operator via Rust Function
----------------------------------
Operator functions cannot be defined as a script function (because operators syntax are not valid function names).
However, operator functions _can_ be registered to the [`Engine`] via the methods
`Engine::register_fn`, `Engine::register_result_fn` etc.
When a custom operator function is registered with the same name as an operator, it _overrides_ the built-in version.
```rust
use rhai::{Engine, EvalAltResult, RegisterFn};
let mut engine = Engine::new();
fn strange_add(a: i64, b: i64) -> i64 { (a + b) * 42 }
engine.register_fn("+", strange_add); // overload '+' operator for two integers!
let result: i64 = engine.eval("1 + 0"); // the overloading version is used
result == 42;
let result: f64 = engine.eval("1.0 + 0.0"); // '+' operator for two floats not overloaded
result == 1.0;
fn mixed_add(a: i64, b: f64) -> f64 { (a as f64) + b }
engine.register_fn("+", mixed_add); // register '+' operator for an integer and a float
let result: i64 = engine.eval("1 + 1.0"); // <- normally an error...
result == 2.0; // ... but not now
```
Considerations
--------------
Normally, use operator overloading for [custom types] only.
Be very careful when overriding built-in operators because script authors expect standard operators to behave in a
consistent and predictable manner, and will be annoyed if a calculation for '`+`' turns into a subtraction, for example.
Operator overloading also impacts script optimization when using [`OptimizationLevel::Full`].
See the [script-optimization] for more details.