3.2.6 Linkage of MDL Class Parameters

Two parameters within the scope of an MDL class can be linked by using the following statement.

   link ParameterSpecification to ParameterSpecification;

ParameterSpecification is a place holder for a full parameter specifier:

interface parameter: :name

local parameter: name

static parameter: className::name

sub-Model parameter: instanceName.name

Such linkage specifications have to be performed within the scope of an MDL class definition but outside of any parameter or method definition block. The corresponding links will be generated right after the allocation of every instance of the concerned MDL class right before the MDL constructor method construct is evaluated.

While it is possible to link a parameter with a global parameter by using the global scope operator in conjunction with the parameter name (::name), it is recommended not to do so because such a construct would lead to a weak software design by destroying the distinctions between local and global scopes.