For C++ programmers implementing SOM classes, SOM provides a macro that simplifies the process of converting C++ classes to SOM classes. This macro allows the implementation of one method of a class to invoke another new or overriding method of the same class on the same receiving object by using the following shorthand syntax:
_methodName(arg1, arg2, ...)
For example, if class X introduces or overrides methods m1 and m2, then the C++ implementation of method m1 can invoke method m2 on its somSelf argument using _m2(arg, arg2, ...), rather than somSelf->m2(arg1, arg2, ...), as would otherwise be required. (The longer form is also available.) Before the shorthand form in the implementation file is used, the macro METHOD_MACROS must be defined (that is, use #define METHOD_MACROS) prior to including the xih file for the class.