Callstack and Scopes

A scope is a part where different data types are valid. This means that the parameters that are specified by the caller of the message (for example by using the getMessage-method) are not availiable for every single other message and the same name of the parameter could have a different value based on the context.

The scope only changes with the callstack and not inside a message itself. If a message is being called the scope that was accessed before is being passed down and if a term (or a function) is being called only the parameters that are being specified are being passed down.

This means that when the message message with the parameters of $text = "everything" and $number = 42 would be called in this file the result would be nothing:

message = { submessage }

submessage = { -term(number: $number, text: "something") }

-term = { -another-term(text: "nothing") }

-another-term = { last-message }

last-message = { $text }

Info

If you are calling terms and messages you should always check if a message or a term is calling itself somewhere down the callstack as it could mean that it would call itself forever and throw a StackOverflowError.