S3 Classes

Files in global/classes define the object oriented programming (OOP) components of Stage 2 apps, as R S3 classes.

By convention, a class is defined by scripts named:

• myClass_constructor.R = for object instantiation
• myClass_methods.R = where generic S3 methods are found
• myClass_utilities.R = functions called by the above scripts

Constructor functions follow suggested R best practices in being called ‘new_myClass’ by convention. Note the case pattern.

Objects defined by classes are never used to access or create the UI, only to streamline code development by encapsulating methods and other common logic.

genericMethods.R

If your classes implement non-standard generic S3 methods, you must define them in genericMethods.R. See comments within for details.

For example, your S3 class can implement the standard generic print without worries, but a custom generic myMethod must be defined in genericMethods.R.

---