forward_ref.ts

import {Type, stringify, isFunction} from 'angular2/src/core/facade/lang';

/**
 * An interface that a function passed into {@link forwardRef} has to implement.
 *
 * ### Example
 *
 * ```typescript
 * var fn:ForwardRefFn = forwardRef(() => Lock);
 * ```
 */
export interface ForwardRefFn { (): any; }

/**
 * Allows to refer to references which are not yet defined.
 *
 * For instance, `forwardRef` is used when the `token` which we need to refer to for the purposes of
 * DI is declared,
 * but not yet defined. It is also used when the `token` which we use when creating a query is not
 * yet defined.
 *
 * ### Example ([live demo](http://plnkr.co/edit/bRs0SX2OTQiJzqvjgl8P?p=preview))
 *
 * ```typescript
 * class Door {
 *   lock: Lock;
 *   constructor(@Inject(forwardRef(() => Lock)) lock:Lock) {
 *     this.lock = lock;
 *   }
 * }
 *
 * // Only at this point Lock is defined.
 * class Lock {
 * }
 *
 * var injector = Injector.resolveAndCreate([Door, Lock]);
 * var door = injector.get(Door);
 * expect(door instanceof Door).toBe(true);
 * expect(door.lock instanceof Lock).toBe(true);
 * ```
 */
export function forwardRef(forwardRefFn: ForwardRefFn): Type {
  (<any>forwardRefFn).__forward_ref__ = forwardRef;
  (<any>forwardRefFn).toString = function() { return stringify(this()); };
  return (<Type><any>forwardRefFn);
}

/**
 * Lazily retrieves the reference value from a forwardRef.
 *
 * Acts as the identity function when given a non-forward-ref value.
 *
 * ### Example ([live demo](http://plnkr.co/edit/GU72mJrk1fiodChcmiDR?p=preview))
 *
 * ```typescript
 * var ref = forwardRef(() => "refValue");
 * expect(resolveForwardRef(ref)).toEqual("refValue");
 * expect(resolveForwardRef("regularValue")).toEqual("regularValue");
 * ```
 *
 * See: {@link forwardRef}
 */
export function resolveForwardRef(type: any): any {
  if (isFunction(type) && type.hasOwnProperty('__forward_ref__') &&
      type.__forward_ref__ === forwardRef) {
    return (<ForwardRefFn>type)();
  } else {
    return type;
  }
}