From c821a7751e73d0db581b090e1844165134ce2e64 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Xavier Noria <fxn@hashref.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 15:03:31 +0100
Subject: autoloading guide: documents constant resolution algorithms

---
 .../source/constant_autoloading_and_reloading.md   | 69 ++++++++++++++++------
 1 file changed, 51 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)

(limited to 'guides/source')

diff --git a/guides/source/constant_autoloading_and_reloading.md b/guides/source/constant_autoloading_and_reloading.md
index 4d016af2c2..031213ca39 100644
--- a/guides/source/constant_autoloading_and_reloading.md
+++ b/guides/source/constant_autoloading_and_reloading.md
@@ -157,22 +157,6 @@ differences between defining classes and modules in one way or another.
 
 The nesting at any given place can be inspected with `Module.nesting`.
 
-At any given point, the nesting can be empty, let's use *cref* to refer to the
-first element of the nesting if it is not empty, or `Object` otherwise. Without
-getting too much into the details, the resolution algorithm for relative
-constant references goes like this:
-
-1. First, if the nesting is not empty it looks for the constant in its elements
-and in order, ignoring their ancestors.
-
-2. If not found, then it walks up the ancestor chain of the cref.
-
-3. If not found, `const_missing` is invoked on the cref.
-
-Rails autoloading **does not emulate this algorithm**, but its starting point is
-the name of the constant to be autoloaded, and the cref.
-
-
 ### Class and Module Definitions are Constant Assignments
 
 Let's suppose the following snippet creates a class (rather than reopening it):
@@ -274,6 +258,51 @@ Put special attention in the previous paragraphs to the distinction between
 class and module objects, constant names, and value objects assiociated to them
 in constant tables.
 
+### Resolution Algorithm for Relative Constants
+
+At any given point the nesting can be empty, let's use *cref* to refer to the
+first element of the nesting if it is not empty, or `Object` otherwise. Without
+getting too much into the details, the resolution algorithm for relative
+constant references goes like this:
+
+1. First, if the nesting is not empty it looks for the constant in its elements
+and in order, ignoring their ancestors.
+
+2. If not found, then it walks up the ancestor chain of the cref.
+
+3. If not found, `const_missing` is invoked on the cref.
+
+Rails autoloading **does not emulate this algorithm**, but its starting point is
+the name of the constant to be autoloaded, and the cref. See more in [Relative
+References](#relative-references).
+
+### Resolution Algorithm for Qualified Constants
+
+Qualified constants look like this:
+
+```ruby
+Billing::Invoice
+```
+
+`Billing::Invoice` is composed of two constants: `Billing`, in the first
+segment, is relative and is resolved using the algorithm of the previous
+section; `Invoice`, in the secong segment, is qualified by `Billing` and we are
+going to see its resolution next. Let's call *parent* to that qualifying class
+or module object:
+
+1. The constant is looked up in the parent and its ancestors.
+
+2. If the lookup fails, `const_missing` is invoked in the parent.
+
+As you see, this algorithm is simpler than the one for relative constants. In
+particular, the nesting plays no role here, and modules are not special-cased,
+if neither they nor their ancestors have the constants, `Object` is **not**
+checked.
+
+Rails autoloading **does not emulate this algorithm**, but its starting point is
+the name of the constant to be autoloaded, and the parent. See more in
+[Qualified References](#qualified-references).
+
 
 Vocabulary
 ----------
@@ -630,10 +659,14 @@ creates an empty module and assigns it to the `Admin` constant on the fly.
 The procedure to autoload constant `C` in an arbitrary situation is:
 
 ```
-if the nesting is empty
+# For relative references C is missing in the cref, and for qualified
+# references the C is missing in the parent. See "Constants Refresher"
+# at the beginning of this guide for their respective definitions.
+
+if the class or module in which the constant is missing is Object
   let ns = ''
 else
-  let M = nesting.first
+  let M = the class or module in which the constant is missing
 
   if M is anonymous
     let ns = ''
-- 
cgit v1.2.3