According to the Scala Language Specification, packages are AnyRef values and have types. How does this make sense? -

According to the Scala Language Specification, packages are AnyRef values and have types. How does this make sense? -

i reading through scala language specification , have encountered confusing, namely, implication packages values , have types.

here how concluded (maybe incorrectly?) unusual fact scala language specification:

background:

in type designators section, written :

simpletype ::= stableid

a type designator refers named value type. can simple or qualified. such type designators shorthands type projections.

specifically, unqualified type name t t bound in class, object, or package c taken shorthand c.this.type#t. if t not bound in class, object, or package, t taken shorthand ε.type#t.

a qualified type designator has form p.t p path , t type name. such type designator equivalent type projection p.type#t.

some type designators , expansions listed below. assume local type parameter t, value maintable type fellow member node , standard class scala.int,

furthermore, considering type projection definition:

simpletype ::= simpletype ‘#’ id

a type projection t#x references type fellow member named x of type t.

lastly, singleton type definition says :

simpletype ::= path ‘.’ type

a singleton type of form p.type, p path pointing value expected conform scala.anyref. type denotes set of values consisting of null , value denoted p.

chain of reasoning:

so, know :

1) scala in scala.int package.

2) scala.int syntactic sugar scala.type#int (as explained in type designator definition , shown in image above)

3) scala.type#int type projection, scala.type must type according the type projection definition states:

a type projection t#x references type fellow member named x of type t.

4) scala.type type ! namely, singleton type, according definition of singleton types, says :

a singleton type of form p.type, p path pointing value expected conform scala.anyref.

5) scala corresponds p value conforming anyref

6) in scala language specification here written that:

every value in scala has type...

7) bundle scala has type.

questions:

1) reasoning correct? bundle scala value conforming anyref ? if reasoning not correct, please explain why.

assuming above reasoning right , bundle scala indeed value:

2) in sense bundle scala value ? how create sense ? in context can think of scala value in same way think of 5:int beingness value 5 type int?

3) if bundle scala value conforms anyref, should able set value variable, can that, if not, why not ?

4) how value of bundle scala represented internally (by compiler) behind scenes ? object ? value nowadays @ runtime in form of jvm object ? if yes, how can hold of ? how can phone call tostring method on ?

based on experimentation rather specification:

1) packages have types conform any, not anyref. can't assign them types:

scala> type t = java.type <console>:7: error: type mismatch; found : java.type required: anyref note java extends any, not anyref. such types can participate in value classes, instances cannot appear in singleton types or in reference comparisons.

interestingly not general restriction on any types:

scala> type q = int defined type alias q

i suspect else going on

2) suspect reason in spec back upwards package objects. if write

package object foo { val x = 5 val y = }

then weird foo isn't value (and weird y isn't value). , if ordinary bundle magically sprouted value defined package object it, weird.

3) can't see way it, because can't see way access value. error says bundle not value:

val f = foo test.scala:10: bundle foo not value

it may value foo "exists" in sense, there's no way name in source (except within bundle object itself)?

scala specifications language-specifications