Runtime

OC_Runtime_system

read this document to gain an understanding of how the Objective-C runtime system works and how you can take advantage of it

Posted by kunnan on February 4, 2017

前言

runtime

  • Objective-C 是一门基于运行时的编程语言， 
    1)这意味着所有方法、变量、类之间的link，都会推迟到应用实际运行的最后一刻才会建立。
2)Foundation 框架实现了基于运行时的一个特性：
键值编码 (key-value-coding, KVC) 以及键值观察 (key-value observing, KVO)。
KVC 和 KVO 允许我们将 UI 和数据进行绑定。这也是 Rx 以及其他响应式框架实现的基础。
ps:而且MVVM的实现又可以借助“V-VM”第三方绑定框架进行实现

runtime code

Who Should Read This Document

The document is intended for readers who might be interested in learning about the Objective-C runtime.

Organization of This Document

I、 Runtime Versions and Platforms

Legacy and Modern Versions

  • In the legacy runtime 
    In the legacy runtime, if you change the layout of instance variables in a class, you must recompile classes that inherit from it
  • In the modern runtime 
    In the modern runtime, if you change the layout of instance variables in a class, you do not have to recompile classes that inherit from it.

II、Interacting with the Runtime

  • Objective-C programs interact with the runtime system at three distinct levels 
    1) through Objective-C source code; 
2) through methods defined in the NSObject class of the Foundation framework;
3) and through direct calls to runtime functions.

0、Objective-C Source Code

For the most part, the runtime system works automatically and behind the scenes. You use it just by writing and compiling Objective-C source code.

1、NSObject Methods: 「内省 (introspection)」机制：判别这个类能执行何种操作

  • NSProxy 
    @class NSMethodSignature, NSInvocation;
NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN
NS_ROOT_CLASS
@interface NSProxy <NSObject> {
  Class	isa;
}
  • isKindOfClass:和isMemberOfClass:则检查对象是否在指定的类继承体系中 
    which test an object’s position in the inheritance hierarchy
  • respondsToSelector:检查对象能否响应指定的消息； 
    which indicates whether an object can accept a particular message
  • conformsToProtocol:检查对象是否实现了指定协议类的方法； 
    which indicates whether an object claims to implement the methods defined in a specific protocol

    *methodForSelector:则返回指定方法实现的地址

    which provides the address of a method’s implementation. Methods like these give an object the ability to introspect about itself.

3、Runtime Functions

The runtime system is a dynamic shared library with a public interface consisting of a set of functions and data structures in the header files located within the directory /usr/include/objc.

  • /usr/include/objc 
    devzkndeMacBook-Pro:bin devzkn$ cd  /usr/include/objc
devzkndeMacBook-Pro:objc devzkn$ tree -L 2
.
├── List.h
├── NSObjCRuntime.h
├── NSObject.h
├── Object.h
├── ObjectiveC.apinotes
├── Protocol.h
├── hashtable.h
├── hashtable2.h
├── message.h
├── module.modulemap
├── objc-api.h
├── objc-auto.h
├── objc-class.h
├── objc-exception.h
├── objc-load.h
├── objc-runtime.h
├── objc-sync.h
├── objc.h
└── runtime.h

  • Objective-C runtime library support functions are implemented in the shared library found at /usr/lib/libobjc.A.dylib.

  • All of these functions are documented in Objective-C Runtime Reference.

III、Messaging

how the message expressions are converted into objc_msgSend function calls, and how you can refer to methods by name？

3.1、The objc_msgSend Function

Sends a message with a simple return value to an instance of a class.
objc_msgSend(id _Nullable self, SEL _Nonnull op, ...)
1) self : A pointer that points to the instance of the class that is to receive the message.
2) op : The selector of the method that handles the message.
3) ... :A variable argument list containing the arguments to the method.
  • Note: isa variable 
    the isa pointer is required for an object to work with the Objective-C runtime system. An object needs to be “equivalent” to a struct objc_object (defined in objc/objc.h) in whatever fields the structure defines.
  • Messaging Framework 
    1) When a message is sent to an object, the messaging function follows the object’s isa pointer to the class structure where it looks up the method selector in the dispatch table. 
If it can’t find the selector there, objc_msgSend follows the pointer to the superclass and tries to find the selector in its dispatch table. Successive failures cause objc_msgSend to climb the class hierarchy until it reaches the NSObject class. Once it locates the selector, the function calls the method entered in the table and passes it the receiving object’s data structure.

3.2、Using Hidden Arguments

They’re inserted into the implementation when the code is compiled.

  • When objc_msgSend finds the procedure that implements a method, it calls the procedure and passes it all the arguments in the message. It also passes the procedure two hidden arguments: 
    1) The receiving object
2) The selector for the method
  • A method refers to the receiving object as self, and to its own selector as _cmd. In the example below, _cmd refers to the selector for the strange method and self to the object that receives a strange message. 
    strange
{
 id  target = getTheReceiver();
 SEL method = getTheMethod();
 if ( target == self || method == _cmd )
     return nil;
 return [target performSelector:method];
}
self is the more useful of the two arguments. It is, in fact, the way the receiving object’s instance variables are made available to the method definition.

3.3 Getting a Method Address

  • The example below shows how the procedure that implements the setFilled: method might be called:

IV、Dynamic Method Resolution

how you can provide an implementation of a method dynamically?

4.1 Dynamic Method Resolution

  • For example, the Objective-C declared properties feature includes the @dynamic directive: 
    @dynamic propertyName;
//which tells the compiler that the methods associated with the property will be provided dynamically.
  • dynamically add dynamicMethodIMP to a class as a method using resolveInstanceMethod
  • If respondsToSelector: or instancesRespondToSelector: is invoked, the dynamic method resolver is given the opportunity to provide an IMP for the selector first. If you implement resolveInstanceMethod: but want particular selectors to actually be forwarded via the forwarding mechanism, you return NO for those selectors. 
    动态方法解析会在消息转发机制浸入前执行。如果 respondsToSelector: 或 instancesRespondToSelector: 方法被执行，动态方法解析器将会被首先给予一个提供该方法选择器对应的 IMP 的机会。如果你想让该方法选择器被传送到转发机制，那么就让resolveInstanceMethod: 返回 NO

4.2 Dynamic Loading

Although there is a runtime function that performs dynamic loading of Objective-C modules in Mach-O files (objc_loadModules, defined in objc/objc-load.h), Cocoa’s NSBundle class provides a significantly more convenient interface for dynamic loading—one that’s object-oriented and integrated with related services.

  • See the NSBundle class specification in the Foundation framework reference for information on the NSBundle class and its use.
  • See OS X ABI Mach-O File Format Reference for information on Mach-O files.

V 、 Message Forwarding

before announcing the error, the runtime system gives the receiving object a second chance to handle the message.

5.0 重定向

  • 在消息转发机制执行前，Runtime 系统会再给我们一次偷梁换柱的机会:即通过重载- (id)forwardingTargetForSelector:(SEL)aSelector 方法替换消息的接受者为其他对象：

5.1 Forwarding

  • If you send a message to an object that does not handle that message, 
    before announcing an error the runtime sends the object a `forwardInvocation:` message with an `NSInvocation` object as its sole argument—the `NSInvocation` object encapsulates the original message and the arguments that were passed with it.
  • You can implement a forwardInvocation: method to give a default response to the message, or to avoid the error in some other way. 
    As its name implies, forwardInvocation: is commonly used to forward the message to another object.

    ```

  • 1) simply passes the message on to an instance of the other class
  • 2) The second chance offered by a forwardInvocation: message provides a less ad hoc solution to this problem, and one that’s dynamic rather than static. 
    当动态方法解析不作处理返回NO时，消息转发机制会被触发。在这时`forwardInvocation:`方法会被执行

5.2 Forwarding and Multiple Inheritance(转发和多继承)

  • 转发和继承相似，可以用于为Objc编程添加一些多继承的效果。就像下图那样，一个对象把消息转发出去，就好似它把另一个对象中的方法借过来或是“继承”过来一样。
  • In this illustration, an instance of the Warrior class forwards a negotiate message to an instance of the Diplomat class. The Warrior will appear to negotiate like a Diplomat. It will seem to respond to the negotiate message, and for all practical purposes it does respond (although it’s really a Diplomat that’s doing the work). 
    图中 `Warrior` 和 `Diplomat` 没有继承关系，但是 `Warrior` 将`negotiate` 消息转发给了 `Diplomat` 后，就好似 `Diplomat` 是 `Warrior` 的超类一样。

替代者对象(Surrogate Objects)

  • Forwarding not only mimics multiple inheritance, it also makes it possible to develop lightweight objects that represent or “cover” more substantial objects. The surrogate stands in for the other object and funnels messages to it.

Forwarding and Inheritance

  • an object is able to forward a message to its surrogate, you would implement methodSignatureForSelector:

VI 、Declared Properties

Property Type and Functions

  • The Property structure defines an opaque handle to a property descriptor. 
    typedef struct objc_property *Property;
  • You can use the functions class_copyPropertyList and protocol_copyPropertyList to retrieve an array of the properties associated with a class (including loaded categories) and a protocol respectively: 
    objc_property_t *class_copyPropertyList(Class cls, unsigned int *outCount)
objc_property_t *protocol_copyPropertyList(Protocol *proto, unsigned int *outCount)
  • print a list of all the properties associated with a class using the following code:

VII、Objective-C Associated Objects

 void objc_setAssociatedObject ( id object, const void *key, id value, objc_AssociationPolicy policy );
 id objc_getAssociatedObject ( id object, const void *key );
 void objc_removeAssociatedObjects ( id object );

这些方法以键值对的形式动态地向对象添加、获取或删除关联值。其中关联政策是一组枚举常量：

enum {
   OBJC_ASSOCIATION_ASSIGN  = 0,
   OBJC_ASSOCIATION_RETAIN_NONATOMIC  = 1,
   OBJC_ASSOCIATION_COPY_NONATOMIC  = 3,
   OBJC_ASSOCIATION_RETAIN  = 01401,
   OBJC_ASSOCIATION_COPY  = 01403
};
  • 例子： 动态添加属性的例子:关联对象

VIII、Method Swizzling

  • 友盟统计模块的例子，使用Swizzle

IX、Class-Definition Data Structures

  • /usr/include/objc
  • include/objc/objc.h 
     /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/Developer/SDKs/iPhoneOS.sdk/usr/include/objc/objc.h

SEL

Selectors generated by the compiler are automatically mapped by the runtime when the class is loaded. You can add new selectors at runtime and retrieve existing selectors using the function sel_registerName

  • SEL /// An opaque type that represents a method selector.
  • Discussion 
    When using selectors, you must use the value returned from sel_registerName or the Objective-C compiler directive @selector(). You cannot simply cast a C string to SEL.

objc_method_list

  • Contains an array of method definitions. 
    struct objc_method_list {
  struct objc_method_list *obsolete;
  int 
method_count;
  struct objc_method 
method_list[1];
};

objc_method_description

  • Defines an Objective-C method. 
    struct objc_method_description {
  SEL name;
  char *
types;
};

isa

The isa pointer, as the name suggests, points to the object’s class which maintains a dispatch table. This dispatch table essentially contains pointers to the methods the class implements, among other data.

  • Note: isa variable 
    the isa pointer is required for an object to work with the Objective-C runtime system. An object needs to be “equivalent” to a struct objc_object (defined in objc/objc.h) in whatever fields the structure defines.

objc_class

  • objc_class
  • class-diagram

objc_object

  • /// Represents an instance of a class.

id

  • /// A pointer to an instance of a class. 
    typedef struct objc_object *id;

Class

  • /// An opaque type that represents an Objective-C class. 
    typedef struct objc_class *Class;

Method

  • /// An opaque type that represents a method in a class definition. 
    typedef struct objc_method *Method;

objc_method

Ivar

  • /// An opaque type that represents an instance variable. 
    typedef struct objc_ivar *Ivar;

objc_ivar

  • 可以根据实例查找其在类中的名字，也就是“反射”：

IMP

  • /// A pointer to the function of a method implementation.

Cache

  • objc_cache 
    typedef struct objc_cache *Cache

objc_cache

Performance optimization for method calls. Contains pointers to recently used methods.

  • objc_cache

Category

  • An opaque type that represents a category. 
    typedef struct objc_category *Category;

objc_protocol_list

  • Represents a list of formal protocols. 
    struct objc_protocol_list {
  struct objc_protocol_list *next;//A pointer to another objc_protocol_list data structure.
  long 
count;//The number of protocols in this list.
  Protocol * _Nullable 
list[1];//An array of pointers to 
Class
 data structures that represent protocols.
};

objc_property_attribute_t

  • Defines a property attribute.

objc4/runtime/Messengers.subproj/objc-msg-arm.s

这个文件是汇编写成的.

objc_property_t

  • objc_property_t 
    typedef struct objc_property *Property;
typedef struct objc_property *objc_property_t;///// An opaque type that represents an Objective-C declared property.

objc_super

  • Specifies the superclass of an instance.

X、Objective-C Runtime Reference

  • Objective-C runtime library support functions are implemented in the shared library found at /usr/lib/libobjc.A.dylib.

Topics

10.1 Working with Classes
  • class_getName 
    Returns the name of a class.
10.2 Adding Classes
  • objc_allocateClassPair 
    Creates a new class and metaclass.

    ```

10.3 Instantiating Classes
  • class_createInstance 
    Creates an instance of a class, allocating memory for the class in the default malloc memory zone.
10.4 Working with Instances
  • object_getClassName 
    object_getClassName
Returns the class name of a given object.
10.5 Obtaining Class Definitions
  • objc_getClassList 
    objc_getClassList
Obtains the list of registered class definitions.
10.6 Working with Instance Variables
  • ivar_getOffset 
    ivar_getOffset
Returns the offset of an instance variable.
10.6 Associative References
  • AssociatedObject,常用来新增属性 
    1) objc_setAssociatedObject
Sets an associated value for a given object using a given key and association policy.
2) objc_getAssociatedObject
Returns the value associated with a given object for a given key.
3) objc_removeAssociatedObjects
Removes all associations for a given object.
10.7 Sending Messages

When it encounters a method invocation, the compiler might generate a call to any of several functions to perform the actual message dispatch, depending on the receiver, the return value, and the arguments. You can use these functions to dynamically invoke methods from your own plain C code, or to use argument forms not permitted by NSObject’s perform… methods. These functions are declared in /usr/include/objc/objc-runtime.h.

  • objc_msgSend sends a message with a simple return value to an instance of a class.
  • objc_msgSend_stret sends a message with a data-structure return value to an instance of a class.
  • objc_msgSendSuper sends a message with a simple return value to the superclass of an instance of a class.
  • objc_msgSendSuper_stret sends a message with a data-structure return value to the superclass of an instance of a class.
10.8 Working with Methods

常用来method-swizzling

  • method_getImplementation 
    method_getImplementation
Returns the implementation of a method.
10.9 Working with Libraries
  • class_getImageName 
    class_getImageName
Returns the name of the dynamic library a class originated from.
10.10 Working with Selectors
  • sel_registerName 
    Registers a method with the Objective-C runtime system, maps the method name to a selector, and returns the selector value.
10.11 Working with Protocols
  • objc_getProtocol 
    objc_getProtocol
Returns a specified protocol.
10.12 Working with Properties
  • property_getAttributes 
    property_getAttributes
Returns the attribute string of a property.
10.13 Using Objective-C Language Features
  • imp_getBlock 
    imp_getBlock
Returns the block associated with an IMP that was created using 
imp_implementationWithBlock
10.14 Class-Definition Data Structures
  • Class 
    Class
An opaque type that represents an Objective-C class.
10.15 Instance Data Types
  • These are the data types that represent objects, classes, and superclasses.
  • id pointer to an instance of a class.
  • id represents an instance of a class.
  • objc_super specifies the superclass of an instance.
10.16 Associative References
  • ` objc_AssociationPolicy ` Type to specify the behavior of an association.

XI、See Also

  • Objective-C Runtime Reference 
    describes the data structures and functions of the Objective-C runtime support library. Your programs can use these interfaces to interact with the Objective-C runtime system. For example, you can add classes or methods, or obtain a list of all class definitions for loaded classes.

转载请注明： > OC_Runtime_system

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