My instances hold all the dynamic state associated with the execution of a CompiledMethod. In addition to their inherited state, this includes the receiver, a method, and temporary space in the variable part of the context.

MethodContexts, though normal in their variable size, are actually only used in two sizes, small and large, which are determined by the temporary space required by the method being executed.

MethodContexts must only be created using the method newForMethod:. Note that it is impossible to determine the real object size of a MethodContext except by asking for the frameSize of its method. Any fields above the stack pointer (stackp) are truly invisible -- even (and especially!) to the garbage collector. Any store into stackp other than by the primitive method stackp: is potentially fatal.

	controlling
	answer:

	initialize-release
	restart restartWith:

	printing
	printDetails:

	private
	instVarAt:put: setSender:receiver:method:arguments:

	private-debugger
	cachedStackTop cachesStack hideFromDebugger

	private-exceptions
	cannotReturn: isHandlerContext isUnwindContext receiver:

	accessing	top
	hasInstVarRef Answer whether the receiver references an instance variable.
	home Refer to the comment in ContextPart|home.
	method Answer the method of this context.
	receiver Refer to the comment in ContextPart|receiver.
	removeSelf Nil the receiver pointer and answer its former value.
	tempAt: Refer to the comment in ContextPart|tempAt:.
	tempAt:put: Refer to the comment in ContextPart|tempAt:put:.

	controlling	top
	answer: ar 3/6/2001: OBSOLETE. Must not be used. Will be removed VERY SOON.

	initialize-release	top
	restart Reinitialize the receiver so that it is in the state it was at its creation.
	restartWith: Reinitialize the receiver as though it had been for a different method. Used by a Debugger when one of the methods to which it refers is recompiled.

	printing	top
	printDetails: Put my class>>selector and instance variables and arguments and temporaries on the stream. Protect against errors during printing.

	private	top
	instVarAt:put: Primitive. Store a value into a fixed variable in the receiver. The numbering of the variables corresponds to the named instance variables. Fail if the index is not an Integer or is not the index of a fixed variable. Answer the value stored as the result. Using this message violates the principle that each object has sovereign control over the storing of values into its instance variables. Essential. See Object documentation whatIsAPrimitive.
	setSender:receiver:method:arguments: Create the receiver's initial state.

	private-debugger	top
	cachedStackTop WARNING - this method depends on a very dirty trick, viz. snitching information off the variable stack of a particular CompiledMethod. So if you add/remove a temp in BlockContext>>valueUninterruptably, this method will fail, probably with some horrible consequences I'd rather not think through just now ... assumption is that the variable declaration in that method looks like: | sendingContext result homeSender |
	cachesStack
	hideFromDebugger

	private-exceptions	top
	cannotReturn:
	isHandlerContext is this context for method that is marked?
	isUnwindContext is this context for method that is marked?
	receiver:

	instance creation	top
	sender:receiver:method:arguments: Answer an instance of me with attributes set to the arguments.