Simple Scala getter/setter override

Question

Let's say we have a class with a 'name' property:

class SuperFoo(var name: String) 

If I wish to override this, to eg add some locking around the calls:

class SubFoo(n: String) extends SuperFoo(n) {
  val lock = new ReentrantLock
  override def name(): String =
    {
      lock.lock
      try {
        super.name
      } finally {
        lock.unlock
      }
    }
  override def name_=(arg: String): Unit = {
    lock.lock
    try {
      super.name = arg
    } finally {
      lock.unlock
    }
  }
}

The above produces a compilation error:

super may be not be used on variable name 

Any ideas how to correctly implement this? (i.e. override the getter & setter to add locking around them). Thanks!

Answer 1

Here you need to refer directly to the super class setter/getter. Normally you should write something like:

class SubFoo(n: String) extends SuperFoo(n) {
  val lock = new ReentrantLock
  override def name(): String =
    {
      lock.lock
      try {
        super.name()
      } finally {
        lock.unlock
      }
    }
  override def name_=(arg: String): Unit = {
    lock.lock
    try {
      super.name_=(arg)
    } finally {
      lock.unlock
    }
  }
}

However, if the setter will compile without any problem, the getter won't because the compiler will view it as super.name.apply() (Strings can get this method through implicit conversions).

I see several options:

1. Favor composition over inheritance (a classic).
2. Change the variable name, make it private and write accessor in the super-class (see below).
3. Resort to reflection/manual name umangling voodoo.

I'll go for option #1, but here is code for option #2:

class SuperFoo( private var nameVar: String) {
  def name: String = nameVar
  def name_=(arg: String): Unit = nameVar = arg
}

class SubFoo(n: String) extends SuperFoo(n) {
  val lock = new ReentrantLock
  override def name(): String =
    {
      lock.lock
      try {
    super.name
      } finally {
        lock.unlock
      }
    }
  override def name_=(arg: String): Unit = {
    lock.lock
    try {
      super.name = arg
    } finally {
      lock.unlock
    }
  }
}

EDIT: Here is a workable implementation of option #1:

trait Foo {
  def name: String
  def name_=(arg: String): Unit
}

class SimpleFoo( var name: String) extends Foo

class LockedFoo(foo: Foo) extends Foo {
  val lock = new ReentrantLock
  def name(): String =
    {
      lock.lock
      try {
        foo.name
      } finally {
        lock.unlock
      }
    }
  def name_=(arg: String): Unit = {
    lock.lock
    try {
      foo.name = arg
    } finally {
      lock.unlock
    }
  }
}