Programming in Idol Version 10

Idol is an object-oriented extension of the Icon programming language. Its simple object model is suitable for introducing object-oriented concepts, yet powerful enough to use on large projects. This document describes Idol in two parts. The first part, "An Object Primer", presents Idol's object-oriented programming concepts as an integral tool with which a programmer maps a good program design into a good implementation. As such, it serves as the "user's guide" for Idol's extensions to Icon. Idol's object-oriented programming facilities are viewed within the broader framework of structured programming and modular design in general. Idol's precise syntax and semantics are detailed in the second part, "An Icon-Derived Object Language", which serves as a reference manual.