metaclass is back

this time with a real purpose and implementation as the intermediary
As the interface to the layout and for replacing an edited layout

lib/parfait.rb

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ require "parfait/list"
 require "parfait/word"
 require "parfait/binary_code"
 require "parfait/method"
+require "parfait/meta_class"
 require "parfait/variable"
 require "parfait/dictionary"
 require "parfait/layout"

lib/parfait/layout.rb

@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ module Parfait
       has = super_index(name)
       return nil unless has
       raise "internal error #{name}:#{has}" if has < 1
-      (1 + has / 2).to_i # to_i for opal 
+      (1 + has / 2).to_i # to_i for opal
     end
 
     def inspect
@@ -96,11 +96,5 @@ module Parfait
       nil  # stop resolve recursing up metaclasses
     end
 
-    def create_instance_method  method_name , arguments
-      raise "create_instance_method #{method_name}.#{method_name.class}" unless method_name.is_a?(Symbol)
-      #puts "Self: #{self.class} clazz: #{clazz.name}"
-      add_instance_method Method.new( self , method_name , arguments )
-    end
-
   end
 end

lib/parfait/meta_class.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+module Parfait
+
+  # class that acts like a class, but is really the object
+
+  # described in the ruby language book as the eigenclass, what you get with
+  # class MyClass
+  #     class << self        <--- this is called the eigenclass, or metaclass, and really is just
+  #     ....                              the class object but gives us the ability to use the
+  #                                       syntax as if it were a class
+
+  # While the "real" metaclass is the layout, we need to honor the constancy of the layout
+  # So the layout needs to be copied and replaced anytime it is edited.
+  # And then changed in the original object, and thus we need this level of indirection
+
+  # Basically we implement the Behaviour protocol, by forwarding to the layout
+
+  class MetaClass < Object
+    include Logging
+
+    attribute :object
+
+    def initialize(object)
+      super()
+      self.object = object
+    end
+
+    def name
+      self.object.get_layout.name
+    end
+    # first part of the protocol is read, just forward to self.object.layout
+    def methods
+      self.object.get_layout.methods
+    end
+    def method_names
+      self.object.get_layout.method_names
+    end
+    def get_instance_method fname
+      self.object.get_layout.get_instance_method fname
+    end
+    def resolve_method m_name
+      self.object.get_layout.resolve_method m_name
+    end
+
+    # the modifying part creates a new layout
+    # forwards the action and replaces the layout
+    def add_instance_method method
+      layout = self.object.get_layout.dup
+      ret = layout.add_instance_method(method)
+      self.object.set_layout layout
+      ret
+    end
+
+    def remove_instance_method method_name
+      layout = self.object.get_layout.dup
+      ret = layout.remove_instance_method(method_name)
+      self.object.set_layout layout
+      ret
+    end
+
+    def create_instance_method  method_name , arguments
+      raise "create_instance_method #{method_name}.#{method_name.class}" unless method_name.is_a?(Symbol)
+      log.debug "Add_method: #{method_name} clazz: #{self.name}"
+      add_instance_method Method.new( self , method_name , arguments )
+    end
+
+
+  end
+end

lib/register/boot.rb

@@ -114,15 +114,14 @@ module Register
     def layout_names
        {  :Word => {:char_length => :Integer} ,
           :List => {:indexed_length => :Integer} ,
-          # Assumtion is that name is the last of message
           :Message => { :next_message => :Message, :receiver => :Object, :frame => :Frame ,
                         :return_address => :Integer, :return_value => :Integer,
                         :caller => :Message , :name => :Word , :indexed_length => :Integer },
-          :MetaClass => {:me => :Class},
+          :MetaClass => {:object => :Object},
           :Integer => {},
           :Object => {},
           :Kernel => {}, #fix, kernel is a class, but should be a module
-          :BinaryCode => {},
+          :BinaryCode => {:name => :Word},
           :Space => {:classes => :Dictionary , :first_message => :Message},
           :Frame => {:next_frame => :Frame, :indexed_length => :Integer},
           :Layout => {:object_class => :Class, :instance_methods => :List , :indexed_length => :Integer} ,

test/parfait/test_meta.rb

@@ -20,17 +20,9 @@ class TestMeta < MiniTest::Test
   end
 
   def test_new_methods
-    assert_equal @try.method_names.class, @try.instance_methods.class
-    assert_equal @try.method_names.get_length , @try.instance_methods.get_length
     assert_equal 0 , @try.method_names.get_length
   end
 
-  def test_init_methods
-    assert_equal 3 , @try.get_layout.variable_index(:instance_methods)
-    @try.instance_methods = Parfait::List.new
-    assert_equal @try.instance_methods , @try.internal_object_get(3)
-    assert @try.instance_methods
-  end
   def test_create_method
       @try.create_instance_method :bar, Register.new_list( [ Parfait::Variable.new(:Integer , :bar )])
       assert_equal ":bar" , @try.method_names.inspect
@@ -38,7 +30,7 @@ class TestMeta < MiniTest::Test
   def test_add_method
     foo = foo_method
     assert_equal foo , @try.add_instance_method(foo)
-    assert_equal 1 , @try.instance_methods.get_length
+    assert_equal 1 , @try.method_names.get_length
     assert_equal ":foo" , @try.method_names.inspect
   end
   def test_remove_method