.. hoc:class:: SectionRef
Syntax:
``section sref = new SectionRef()``
Description:
SectionRef keeps a pointer/reference to a section
The reference is to the currently accessed section at the
time the object was created.
This class allows sections to be referenced as normal object variables
for assignment and passing as arguments.
.. hoc:method:: SectionRef.sec
Syntax:
``sref.sec``
Description:
special syntax that makes the reference the currently
accessed section.
This class allows sections to be referenced as normal object variables
for assignment and passing as arguments. The usage is
.. code-block::
none
create soma, axon
axon.diam=2
soma.diam=10
access axon
objref s1, s2
soma s1 = new SectionRef() // s1 holds a reference to the soma
print s1.sec.diam // print the diameter of the soma
s2 = s1 // s2 also holds a reference to the soma
s2.sec { psection() } // print all info about soma
axon s2 = new SectionRef()
proc c() {
$o1.sec connect $o2.sec(0), 1
}
c(s1, s2)
topology()
This last is a procedure that takes two SectionRef args and
connects them end to end.
.. hoc:method:: SectionRef.parent
Syntax:
``sref.parent``
Description:
parent of sref.sec becomes the currently accessed section. Generally it
is used in a context like \ ``sref.parent { statement }`` just like a
normal section name and does NOT need a section_pop
If there is a chance that a section does not have a parent then
:hoc:meth:`SectionRef.has_parent` should be called first to avoid an execution error.
Note that the parent is the current parent of sref.sec, not necessarily
the parent when the SectionRef was created.
.. hoc:method:: SectionRef.trueparent
Syntax:
``sref.trueparent``
Description:
trueparent of sref.sec becomes the currently accessed section.
This is normally identical to :hoc:meth:`SectionRef.parent` except when the
parent's :hoc:func:`parent_connection` is equal to the parent's
:hoc:func:`section_orientation`.
If there is a chance that a section does not have a trueparent then
:hoc:meth:`SectionRef.has_trueparent` should be called first to avoid an execution error.
.. hoc:method:: SectionRef.child
Syntax:
``sref.child[i]``
Description:
the ith child of sref.sec becomes the currently accessed section.
Generally it
is used in a context like
.. code-block::
none
for i=0, sref.nchild-1 sref.child[i] { statement }
Note that the children are the current children of sref.sec, not necessarily
the same as when the SectionRef was created since sections may be
deleted or re-connected subsequent to the instantiation of the SectionRef.
.. hoc:method:: SectionRef.root
Syntax:
``sref.root``
Description:
root of sref.sec becomes the currently accessed section.
.. hoc:method:: SectionRef.has_parent
Syntax:
``boolean = sref.has_parent``
Description:
returns 1 if sref.sec has a parent and 0 if sref.sec is a root section.
Invoking sref.parent when sref.sec is a root section will print an
error message and halt execution.
.. hoc:method:: SectionRef.has_trueparent
Syntax:
``boolean = sref.has_trueparent``
Description:
returns 1 if the sref.sec parent node is not the root node and 0 otherwise.
Invoking sref.trueparent when it is the root node will print an
error message and halt execution.
.. hoc:method:: SectionRef.nchild
Syntax:
``integer = sref.nchild``
Description:
Return the number of child sections connected to sref.sec
.. hoc:method:: SectionRef.is_cas
Syntax:
``boolean = sref.is_cas()``
Description:
Returns 1 if this section reference is the currently accessed section, 0 otherwise.
.. hoc:method:: SectionRef.exists
Syntax:
``boolean = sref.exists()``
Description:
Returns 1 if the section has not been deleted, 0 otherwise.
.. seealso::
:hoc:func:`delete_section`, :hoc:func:`section_exists`