|   | Section 8.2:Binary Classes
 |  | 
  
 
This section of the required library contains definitions of those
abstractions and classes which define objects as bit-patterns only.  No
semantics other than pattern equality testing are defined for these
classes.
  - Abstract Classes - 
      - $BIT_PATTERN - an abstraction for
        any class which is constructed to have the semantics of single
        immutable bit-pattern entities.
- $BINARY - an abstraction for any class
        for which conversion between the class value and a sequence of octets
        is possible.
 
- Immutable Classes - 
      - BIT - this version of the language defined
        class BIT includes additional
        text representation services and some conversion features. The
        specification is otherwise identical.
- OCTET - this class defines storage units
        which have exactly eight bits - deriving from AVAL{BIT}.
- HEXTET - this class defines storage units
        which have sixteen bits - deriving from AVAL{BIT}.
- QUADBITS - this class defines storage
        units which have thirty two bits - deriving from AVAL{BIT}.
 
- Reference Classes - 
      - BINSTR - this class implements the notion
        of a string of OCTETs which has immutable
        semantics.
- FBINSTR - this class implements the
        notion of a string of OCTETs which has
        reference semantics.
- BIN_CURSOR - this class implements the
        concept of an indexed buffer from which chunks can be taken for use as
        necessary.
 
 
  
    
      | Comments or enquiries should be made to Keith
        Hopper. Page last modified:  Friday, 10 March
        2000.
 |   |