WIP: Implementing arrays into the script, read more

I had intended to solve the Advent of Code puzzles in Toy, but they
don't work without arrays. I wasn't able to enable arrays in time, so
I need to focus on doing things correctly.

The most immediate tasks are marked with 'URGENT', and a lot of tests
need writing.

repl/main.c

@@ -341,6 +341,8 @@ static void debugStackPrint(Toy_Stack* stack) {
 
 			printf("%s\t", Toy_private_getValueTypeAsCString(v.type));
 
+			v = Toy_unwrapValue(v);
+
 			switch(v.type) {
 				case TOY_VALUE_NULL:
 					printf("null");
@@ -382,6 +384,7 @@ static void debugStackPrint(Toy_Stack* stack) {
 				case TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE:
 				case TOY_VALUE_TYPE:
 				case TOY_VALUE_ANY:
+				case TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE:
 				case TOY_VALUE_UNKNOWN:
 					printf("???");
 					break;
@@ -406,6 +409,9 @@ static void debugScopePrint(Toy_Scope* scope, int depth) {
 
 			printf("%s\t%s\t", Toy_private_getValueTypeAsCString(v.type), TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(k)->as.name.data);
 
+			k = Toy_unwrapValue(k);
+			v = Toy_unwrapValue(v);
+
 			switch(v.type) {
 				case TOY_VALUE_NULL:
 					printf("null");
@@ -447,6 +453,7 @@ static void debugScopePrint(Toy_Scope* scope, int depth) {
 				case TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE:
 				case TOY_VALUE_TYPE:
 				case TOY_VALUE_ANY:
+				case TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE:
 				case TOY_VALUE_UNKNOWN:
 					printf("???");
 					break;

scripts/advent_1a.toy

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+//advent of code thingy
+var arr = [
+	3,   4,
+	4,   3,
+	2,   5,
+	1,   3,
+	3,   9,
+	3 ,  3
+];
+
+var total = 0;
+var counter = 0;
+
+while (counter < arr.length) {
+	var difference = arr[counter] - arr[counter+1];
+
+	if (difference < 0) {
+		difference = -difference;
+	}
+
+	total += difference;
+
+	counter += 2;
+}
+
+print difference;
+

source/toy_array.h

@@ -40,3 +40,5 @@ TOY_API Toy_Array* Toy_resizeArray(Toy_Array* array, unsigned int capacity);
 #ifndef TOY_ARRAY_PUSHBACK
 #define TOY_ARRAY_PUSHBACK(array, value) (TOY_ARRAY_EXPAND(array),(array)->data[(array)->count++] = (value))
 #endif
+
+//URGENT: check array length from scripts

source/toy_ast.c

@@ -84,13 +84,23 @@ void Toy_private_emitAstGroup(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle) {
 	(*astHandle) = tmp;
 }
 
-void Toy_private_emitAstCompound(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle, Toy_AstFlag flag, Toy_Ast* right) {
+void Toy_private_emitAstCompound(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle, Toy_AstFlag flag) {
 	Toy_Ast* tmp = (Toy_Ast*)Toy_partitionBucket(bucketHandle, sizeof(Toy_Ast));
 
 	tmp->type = TOY_AST_COMPOUND;
 	tmp->compound.flag = flag;
-	tmp->compound.left = *astHandle; //left-recursive
-	tmp->compound.right = right;
+	tmp->compound.child = *astHandle;
+
+	(*astHandle) = tmp;
+}
+
+void Toy_private_emitAstAggregate(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle, Toy_AstFlag flag, Toy_Ast* right) {
+	Toy_Ast* tmp = (Toy_Ast*)Toy_partitionBucket(bucketHandle, sizeof(Toy_Ast));
+
+	tmp->type = TOY_AST_AGGREGATE;
+	tmp->aggregate.flag = flag;
+	tmp->aggregate.left = *astHandle; //left-recursive
+	tmp->aggregate.right = right;
 
 	(*astHandle) = tmp;
 }

source/toy_ast.h

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ typedef enum Toy_AstType {
 	TOY_AST_COMPARE,
 	TOY_AST_GROUP,
 	TOY_AST_COMPOUND,
+	TOY_AST_AGGREGATE,
 
 	TOY_AST_ASSERT,
 	TOY_AST_IF_THEN_ELSE,
@@ -58,8 +59,10 @@ typedef enum Toy_AstFlag {
 	TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPARE_GREATER = 24,
 	TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPARE_GREATER_EQUAL = 25,
 
-	TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_COLLECTION = 30,
-	TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_INDEX = 31,
+	TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_ARRAY = 30,
+	// TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_TABLE = 31,
+	TOY_AST_FLAG_COLLECTION = 32,
+	TOY_AST_FLAG_INDEX = 33,
 
 	TOY_AST_FLAG_AND = 40,
 	TOY_AST_FLAG_OR = 41,
@@ -115,11 +118,17 @@ typedef struct Toy_AstGroup {
 } Toy_AstGroup;
 
 typedef struct Toy_AstCompound {
+	Toy_AstType type;
+	Toy_AstFlag flag;
+	Toy_Ast* child;
+} Toy_AstCompound;
+
+typedef struct Toy_AstAggregate {
 	Toy_AstType type;
 	Toy_AstFlag flag;
 	Toy_Ast* left;
 	Toy_Ast* right;
-} Toy_AstCompound;
+} Toy_AstAggregate;
 
 typedef struct Toy_AstAssert {
 	Toy_AstType type;
@@ -191,7 +200,8 @@ union Toy_Ast {                     //32 | 64 BITNESS
 	Toy_AstBinary binary;           //16 | 24
 	Toy_AstCompare compare;         //16 | 24
 	Toy_AstGroup group;             //8  | 16
-	Toy_AstCompound compound;       //16 | 24
+	Toy_AstCompound compound;       //12 | 16
+	Toy_AstAggregate aggregate;     //16 | 24
 	Toy_AstAssert assert;           //16 | 24
 	Toy_AstIfThenElse ifThenElse;   //16 | 32
 	Toy_AstWhileThen whileThen;     //16 | 24
@@ -214,7 +224,8 @@ void Toy_private_emitAstUnary(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle, To
 void Toy_private_emitAstBinary(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle,Toy_AstFlag flag, Toy_Ast* right);
 void Toy_private_emitAstCompare(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle,Toy_AstFlag flag, Toy_Ast* right);
 void Toy_private_emitAstGroup(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle);
-void Toy_private_emitAstCompound(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle,Toy_AstFlag flag, Toy_Ast* right);
+void Toy_private_emitAstCompound(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle,Toy_AstFlag flag);
+void Toy_private_emitAstAggregate(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle,Toy_AstFlag flag, Toy_Ast* right);
 
 void Toy_private_emitAstAssert(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle, Toy_Ast* child, Toy_Ast* msg);
 void Toy_private_emitAstIfThenElse(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Ast** astHandle, Toy_Ast* condBranch, Toy_Ast* thenBranch, Toy_Ast* elseBranch);

source/toy_parser.c

@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ static Toy_AstFlag unary(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_Ast*
 static Toy_AstFlag binary(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_Ast** rootHandle);
 static Toy_AstFlag group(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_Ast** rootHandle);
 static Toy_AstFlag compound(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_Ast** rootHandle);
+static Toy_AstFlag aggregate(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_Ast** rootHandle);
 
 //precedence definitions
 static ParsingTuple parsingRulesetTable[] = {
@@ -195,7 +196,7 @@ static ParsingTuple parsingRulesetTable[] = {
 	//structural operators
 	{PREC_NONE,group,NULL},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_PAREN_LEFT,
 	{PREC_NONE,NULL,NULL},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_PAREN_RIGHT,
-	{PREC_GROUP,NULL,compound},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_BRACKET_LEFT,
+	{PREC_GROUP,compound,aggregate},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_BRACKET_LEFT,
 	{PREC_NONE,NULL,NULL},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_BRACKET_RIGHT,
 	{PREC_NONE,NULL,NULL},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_BRACE_LEFT,
 	{PREC_NONE,NULL,NULL},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_BRACE_RIGHT,
@@ -208,7 +209,7 @@ static ParsingTuple parsingRulesetTable[] = {
 	{PREC_NONE,NULL,NULL},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_COLON,
 
 	{PREC_NONE,NULL,NULL},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_SEMICOLON, // ;
-	{PREC_GROUP,NULL,compound},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_COMMA, // ,
+	{PREC_GROUP,NULL,aggregate},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_COMMA, // ,
 
 	{PREC_NONE,NULL,NULL},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_DOT, // .
 	{PREC_CALL,NULL,binary},// TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_CONCAT, // ..
@@ -562,17 +563,16 @@ static Toy_AstFlag group(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_Ast*
 }
 
 static Toy_AstFlag compound(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_Ast** rootHandle) {
-	//infix must advance
-	advance(parser);
+	//read in an array or dictionary aggregate
 
-	if (parser->previous.type == TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_COMMA) {
-		parsePrecedence(bucketHandle, parser, rootHandle, PREC_GROUP); //NOT +1, as compounds are right-recursive
-		return TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_COLLECTION;
-	}
-	else if (parser->previous.type == TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_BRACKET_LEFT) {
+	if (parser->previous.type == TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_BRACKET_LEFT) {
 		parsePrecedence(bucketHandle, parser, rootHandle, PREC_GROUP);
-		consume(parser, TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_BRACKET_RIGHT, "Expected ']' at the end of index expression");
-		return TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_INDEX;
+		consume(parser, TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_BRACKET_RIGHT, "Expected ']' at the end of compound expression");
+		Toy_private_emitAstCompound(bucketHandle, rootHandle, TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_ARRAY);
+
+		return TOY_AST_FLAG_NONE;
+
+		//TODO: read in a dictionary
 	}
 	else {
 		printError(parser, parser->previous, "Unexpected token passed to compound precedence rule");
@@ -581,6 +581,31 @@ static Toy_AstFlag compound(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_A
 	}
 }
 
+static Toy_AstFlag aggregate(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_Ast** rootHandle) {
+	//infix must advance
+	advance(parser);
+
+	if (parser->previous.type == TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_COMMA) {
+		parsePrecedence(bucketHandle, parser, rootHandle, PREC_GROUP); //NOT +1, as compounds are right-recursive
+		return TOY_AST_FLAG_COLLECTION;
+	}
+	else if (parser->previous.type == TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_BRACKET_LEFT) {
+		parsePrecedence(bucketHandle, parser, rootHandle, PREC_GROUP);
+		consume(parser, TOY_TOKEN_OPERATOR_BRACKET_RIGHT, "Expected ']' at the end of index expression");
+		return TOY_AST_FLAG_INDEX;
+	}
+	else {
+		printError(parser, parser->previous, "Unexpected token passed to aggregate precedence rule");
+		Toy_private_emitAstError(bucketHandle, rootHandle);
+		return TOY_AST_FLAG_NONE;
+	}
+}
+
+//TODO: allow trailing commas
+// static Toy_AstFlag noop(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_Ast** rootHandle) {
+// 	return return TOY_AST_FLAG_NONE;
+// }
+
 static ParsingTuple* getParsingRule(Toy_TokenType type) {
 	return &parsingRulesetTable[type];
 }
@@ -638,7 +663,7 @@ static void parsePrecedence(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_A
 			Toy_private_emitAstCompare(bucketHandle, rootHandle, flag, ptr);
 		}
 		else if (flag >= 30 && flag <= 39) {
-			Toy_private_emitAstCompound(bucketHandle, rootHandle, flag, ptr);
+			Toy_private_emitAstAggregate(bucketHandle, rootHandle, flag, ptr);
 		}
 		else {
 			Toy_private_emitAstBinary(bucketHandle, rootHandle, flag, ptr);
@@ -668,9 +693,9 @@ static void makeAssertStmt(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Parser* parser, Toy_As
 		Toy_private_emitAstPass(bucketHandle, rootHandle);
 	}
 	else {
-		//NOTE: if it's a compound, then it's got a second arg
-		if (ast->type == TOY_AST_COMPOUND) {
-			Toy_private_emitAstAssert(bucketHandle, rootHandle, ast->compound.left, ast->compound.right);
+		//NOTE: if it's an aggregate node, then it's got a second arg
+		if (ast->type == TOY_AST_AGGREGATE) {
+			Toy_private_emitAstAssert(bucketHandle, rootHandle, ast->aggregate.left, ast->aggregate.right);
 		}
 		else {
 			Toy_private_emitAstAssert(bucketHandle, rootHandle, ast, NULL);

source/toy_routine.c

@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ static unsigned int writeInstructionBinary(Toy_Routine** rt, Toy_AstBinary ast)
 	}
 
 	//4-byte alignment
-	EMIT_BYTE(rt, code,TOY_OPCODE_PASS); //checked in compound assignments
+	EMIT_BYTE(rt, code,TOY_OPCODE_PASS); //checked in combined assignments
 	EMIT_BYTE(rt, code,0);
 	EMIT_BYTE(rt, code,0);
 
@@ -263,17 +263,41 @@ static unsigned int writeInstructionGroup(Toy_Routine** rt, Toy_AstGroup ast) {
 }
 
 static unsigned int writeInstructionCompound(Toy_Routine** rt, Toy_AstCompound ast) {
+	unsigned int result = writeRoutineCode(rt, ast.child);
+
+	if (ast.flag == TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_ARRAY) {
+		//signal how many values to read in as an array value
+		EMIT_BYTE(rt, code, TOY_OPCODE_READ);
+		EMIT_BYTE(rt, code, TOY_VALUE_ARRAY);
+
+		//4-byte alignment
+		EMIT_BYTE(rt, code,0);
+		EMIT_BYTE(rt, code,0);
+
+		//how many elements
+		EMIT_INT(rt, code, result);
+
+		return 1; //leaves only 1 value on the stack
+	}
+	else {
+		fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Invalid AST compound flag found\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+		exit(-1);
+		return 0;
+	}
+}
+
+static unsigned int writeInstructionAggregate(Toy_Routine** rt, Toy_AstAggregate ast) {
 	unsigned int result = 0;
 
 	//left, then right
 	result += writeRoutineCode(rt, ast.left);
 	result += writeRoutineCode(rt, ast.right);
 
-	if (ast.flag == TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_COLLECTION) {
+	if (ast.flag == TOY_AST_FLAG_COLLECTION) {
 		//collections are handled above
 		return result;
 	}
-	else if (ast.flag == TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_INDEX) {
+	else if (ast.flag == TOY_AST_FLAG_INDEX) {
 		//value[index, length]
 		EMIT_BYTE(rt, code, TOY_OPCODE_INDEX);
 		EMIT_BYTE(rt, code, result);
@@ -285,7 +309,7 @@ static unsigned int writeInstructionCompound(Toy_Routine** rt, Toy_AstCompound a
 		return 1; //leaves only 1 value on the stack
 	}
 	else {
-		fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Invalid AST compound flag found\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+		fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Invalid AST aggregate flag found\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 		exit(-1);
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -429,10 +453,12 @@ static unsigned int writeInstructionVarDeclare(Toy_Routine** rt, Toy_AstVarDecla
 static unsigned int writeInstructionAssign(Toy_Routine** rt, Toy_AstVarAssign ast) {
 	unsigned int result = 0;
 
+	//URGENT: check for LHS in index
+
 	//don't treat these as valid values
 	switch (ast.expr->type) {
 		case TOY_AST_BLOCK:
-		case TOY_AST_COMPOUND:
+		case TOY_AST_AGGREGATE:
 		case TOY_AST_ASSERT:
 		case TOY_AST_PRINT:
 		case TOY_AST_VAR_DECLARE:
@@ -594,7 +620,7 @@ static unsigned int writeRoutineCode(Toy_Routine** rt, Toy_Ast* ast) {
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	//NOTE: 'result' is used to in 'writeInstructionCompound()'
+	//NOTE: 'result' is used to in 'writeInstructionAggregate()'
 	unsigned int result = 0;
 
 	//determine how to write each instruction based on the Ast
@@ -642,6 +668,10 @@ static unsigned int writeRoutineCode(Toy_Routine** rt, Toy_Ast* ast) {
 			result += writeInstructionCompound(rt, ast->compound);
 			break;
 
+		case TOY_AST_AGGREGATE:
+			result += writeInstructionAggregate(rt, ast->aggregate);
+			break;
+
 		case TOY_AST_ASSERT:
 			result += writeInstructionAssert(rt, ast->assert);
 			break;

source/toy_scope.c

@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 
 #include "toy_print.h"
 
+//URGENT: don't let references get saved into a scope
+
 //utils
 static void incrementRefCount(Toy_Scope* scope) {
 	for (Toy_Scope* iter = scope; iter; iter = iter->next) {
@@ -126,6 +128,8 @@ void Toy_declareScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key, Toy_Value value) {
 	Toy_insertTable(&scope->table, TOY_VALUE_FROM_STRING(Toy_copyString(key)), value);
 }
 
+
+//TODO: check for clearign old values
 void Toy_assignScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key, Toy_Value value) {
 	if (key->type != TOY_STRING_NAME) {
 		fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Toy_Scope only allows name strings as keys\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
@@ -161,7 +165,7 @@ void Toy_assignScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key, Toy_Value value) {
 	entryPtr->value = value;
 }
 
-Toy_Value Toy_accessScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key) {
+Toy_Value* Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key) {
 	if (key->type != TOY_STRING_NAME) {
 		fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Toy_Scope only allows name strings as keys\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 		exit(-1);
@@ -173,10 +177,10 @@ Toy_Value Toy_accessScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key) {
 		char buffer[key->length + 256];
 		sprintf(buffer, "Undefined variable: %s\n", key->as.name.data);
 		Toy_error(buffer);
-		return TOY_VALUE_FROM_NULL();
+		NULL;
 	}
 
-	return entryPtr->value;
+	return &(entryPtr->value);
 }
 
 bool Toy_isDeclaredScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key) {

source/toy_scope.h

@@ -23,6 +23,6 @@ TOY_API Toy_Scope* Toy_deepCopyScope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Scope* scope
 //manage the contents
 TOY_API void Toy_declareScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key, Toy_Value value);
 TOY_API void Toy_assignScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key, Toy_Value value);
-TOY_API Toy_Value Toy_accessScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key);
+TOY_API Toy_Value* Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key);
 
 TOY_API bool Toy_isDeclaredScope(Toy_Scope* scope, Toy_String* key);

source/toy_value.c

@@ -18,30 +18,42 @@ static unsigned int hashUInt(unsigned int x) {
 }
 
 //exposed functions
+Toy_Value Toy_unwrapValue(Toy_Value value) {
+	//turns out C doesn't have actual references
+	if (value.type == TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE) {
+		return Toy_unwrapValue(*(value.as.reference));
+	}
+	else {
+		return value;
+	}
+}
+
 unsigned int Toy_hashValue(Toy_Value value) {
+	value = Toy_unwrapValue(value);
+
 	switch(value.type) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_NULL:
 			return 0;
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_BOOLEAN:
-			return TOY_VALUE_AS_BOOLEAN(value) ? 1 : 0;
+			return value.as.boolean ? 1 : 0;
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_INTEGER:
-			return hashUInt(TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(value));
+			return hashUInt((unsigned int)value.as.integer);
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_FLOAT:
-			return hashUInt( *((int*)(&TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(value))) );
+			return hashUInt( *((unsigned int*)(&value.as.number)) );
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_STRING:
-			return Toy_hashString(TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(value));
+			return Toy_hashString(value.as.string);
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_ARRAY: {
 			//since array internals can change, recalc the hash each time it's needed
-			Toy_Array* array = TOY_VALUE_AS_ARRAY(value);
+			Toy_Array* ptr = value.as.array;
 			unsigned int hash = 0;
 
-			for (unsigned int i = 0; i < array->count; i++) {
-				hash ^= Toy_hashValue(array->data[i]);
+			for (unsigned int i = 0; i < ptr->count; i++) {
+				hash ^= Toy_hashValue(ptr->data[i]);
 			}
 
 			return hash;
@@ -52,6 +64,7 @@ unsigned int Toy_hashValue(Toy_Value value) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_TYPE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_ANY:
+		case TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_UNKNOWN:
 			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Can't hash an unknown value type, exiting\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 			exit(-1);
@@ -61,6 +74,8 @@ unsigned int Toy_hashValue(Toy_Value value) {
 }
 
 Toy_Value Toy_copyValue(Toy_Value value) {
+	value = Toy_unwrapValue(value);
+
 	switch(value.type) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_NULL:
 		case TOY_VALUE_BOOLEAN:
@@ -69,20 +84,20 @@ Toy_Value Toy_copyValue(Toy_Value value) {
 			return value;
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_STRING: {
-			Toy_String* string = TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(value);
-			return TOY_VALUE_FROM_STRING(Toy_copyString(string));
+			return TOY_VALUE_FROM_STRING(Toy_copyString(value.as.string));
 		}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_ARRAY: {
-			Toy_Array* array = TOY_VALUE_AS_ARRAY(value);
-			Toy_Array* result = Toy_resizeArray(NULL, array->capacity);
+			//arrays probably won't get copied much
+			Toy_Array* ptr = value.as.array;
+			Toy_Array* result = Toy_resizeArray(NULL, ptr->capacity);
 
-			for (unsigned int i = 0; i < array->count; i++) {
-				result->data[i] = Toy_copyValue(array->data[i]);
+			for (unsigned int i = 0; i < ptr->count; i++) {
+				result->data[i] = Toy_copyValue(ptr->data[i]);
 			}
 
-			result->capacity = array->capacity;
-			result->count = array->count;
+			result->capacity = ptr->capacity;
+			result->count = ptr->count;
 
 			return TOY_VALUE_FROM_ARRAY(result);
 		}
@@ -92,6 +107,7 @@ Toy_Value Toy_copyValue(Toy_Value value) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_TYPE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_ANY:
+		case TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_UNKNOWN:
 			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Can't copy an unknown value type, exiting\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 			exit(-1);
@@ -102,6 +118,8 @@ Toy_Value Toy_copyValue(Toy_Value value) {
 }
 
 void Toy_freeValue(Toy_Value value) {
+	//NOTE: do not unwrap this value, as references shouldn't be freed
+
 	switch(value.type) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_NULL:
 		case TOY_VALUE_BOOLEAN:
@@ -110,19 +128,18 @@ void Toy_freeValue(Toy_Value value) {
 			break;
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_STRING: {
-			Toy_String* string = TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(value);
-			Toy_freeString(string);
+			Toy_freeString(value.as.string);
 			break;
 		}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_ARRAY: {
-			Toy_Array* array = TOY_VALUE_AS_ARRAY(value);
+			Toy_Array* ptr = value.as.array;
 
-			for (unsigned int i = 0; i < array->count; i++) {
-				Toy_freeValue(array->data[i]);
+			for (unsigned int i = 0; i < ptr->count; i++) {
+				Toy_freeValue(ptr->data[i]);
 			}
 
-			TOY_ARRAY_FREE(array);
+			TOY_ARRAY_FREE(ptr);
 			break;
 		}
 
@@ -131,6 +148,7 @@ void Toy_freeValue(Toy_Value value) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_TYPE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_ANY:
+		case TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_UNKNOWN:
 			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Can't free an unknown value type, exiting\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 			exit(-1);
@@ -138,15 +156,17 @@ void Toy_freeValue(Toy_Value value) {
 }
 
 bool Toy_checkValueIsTruthy(Toy_Value value) {
+	value = Toy_unwrapValue(value);
+
 	//null is an error
-	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_NULL(value)) {
+	if (value.type == TOY_VALUE_NULL) {
 		Toy_error("'null' is neither true nor false");
 		return false;
 	}
 
 	//only 'false' is falsy
-	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_BOOLEAN(value)) {
-		return TOY_VALUE_AS_BOOLEAN(value);
+	if (value.type == TOY_VALUE_BOOLEAN) {
+		return value.as.boolean;
 	}
 
 	//anything else is truthy
@@ -154,46 +174,50 @@ bool Toy_checkValueIsTruthy(Toy_Value value) {
 }
 
 bool Toy_checkValuesAreEqual(Toy_Value left, Toy_Value right) {
+	left = Toy_unwrapValue(left);
+	right = Toy_unwrapValue(right);
+
 	switch(left.type) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_NULL:
-			return TOY_VALUE_IS_NULL(right);
+			return right.type == TOY_VALUE_NULL;
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_BOOLEAN:
-			return TOY_VALUE_IS_BOOLEAN(right) && TOY_VALUE_AS_BOOLEAN(left) == TOY_VALUE_AS_BOOLEAN(right);
+			return right.type == TOY_VALUE_NULL && left.as.boolean == right.as.boolean;
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_INTEGER:
-			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(right)) {
-				return TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(left) == TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(right);
+			if (right.type == TOY_VALUE_INTEGER) {
+				return left.as.integer == right.as.integer;
 			}
-			else if (TOY_VALUE_IS_FLOAT(right)) {
-				return TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(left) == TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(right);
+			else if (right.type == TOY_VALUE_FLOAT) {
+				return left.as.integer == right.as.number;
 			}
 			else {
 				break;
 			}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_FLOAT:
-			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(right)) {
-				return TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(left) == TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(right);
+			if (right.type == TOY_VALUE_INTEGER) {
+				return left.as.number == right.as.integer;
 			}
-			else if (TOY_VALUE_IS_FLOAT(right)) {
-				return TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(left) == TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(right);
+			else if (right.type == TOY_VALUE_FLOAT) {
+				return left.as.number == right.as.number;
 			}
 			else {
 				break;
 			}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_STRING:
-			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_STRING(right)) {
-				return Toy_compareStrings(TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(left), TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(right)) == 0;
+			if (right.type == TOY_VALUE_STRING) {
+				return Toy_compareStrings(left.as.string, right.as.string) == 0;
 			}
 			else {
 				break;
 			}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_ARRAY: {
-			Toy_Array* leftArray = TOY_VALUE_AS_ARRAY(left);
-			Toy_Array* rightArray = TOY_VALUE_AS_ARRAY(right);
+			if (right.type == TOY_VALUE_ARRAY) {
+				Toy_Array* leftArray = left.as.array;
+				Toy_Array* rightArray = right.as.array;
 
 				//different lengths is an easy way to check
 				if (leftArray->count != rightArray->count) {
@@ -206,6 +230,10 @@ bool Toy_checkValuesAreEqual(Toy_Value left, Toy_Value right) {
 						return false;
 					}
 				}
+			}
+			else {
+				break;
+			}
 
 			//finally
 			return true;
@@ -216,6 +244,7 @@ bool Toy_checkValuesAreEqual(Toy_Value left, Toy_Value right) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_TYPE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_ANY:
+		case TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_UNKNOWN:
 			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Unknown types in value equality, exiting\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 			exit(-1);
@@ -225,21 +254,23 @@ bool Toy_checkValuesAreEqual(Toy_Value left, Toy_Value right) {
 }
 
 bool Toy_checkValuesAreComparable(Toy_Value left, Toy_Value right) {
-	//NOTE: "equal" and "comparable" are different - equal means they're identical, comparable is only possible for certain types
+	left = Toy_unwrapValue(left);
+	right = Toy_unwrapValue(right);
 
+	//NOTE: "equal" and "comparable" are different - equal means they're identical, comparable is only possible for certain types
 	switch(left.type) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_NULL:
 			return false;
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_BOOLEAN:
-			return TOY_VALUE_IS_BOOLEAN(right);
+			return right.type == TOY_VALUE_BOOLEAN;
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_INTEGER:
 		case TOY_VALUE_FLOAT:
-			return TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(right) || TOY_VALUE_IS_FLOAT(right);
+			return right.type == TOY_VALUE_INTEGER || right.type == TOY_VALUE_FLOAT;
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_STRING:
-			return TOY_VALUE_IS_STRING(right);
+			return right.type == TOY_VALUE_STRING;
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_ARRAY:
 			//nothing is comparable with an array
@@ -250,6 +281,7 @@ bool Toy_checkValuesAreComparable(Toy_Value left, Toy_Value right) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_TYPE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_ANY:
+		case TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_UNKNOWN:
 			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "Unknown types in value comparison check, exiting\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 			exit(-1);
@@ -259,6 +291,9 @@ bool Toy_checkValuesAreComparable(Toy_Value left, Toy_Value right) {
 }
 
 int Toy_compareValues(Toy_Value left, Toy_Value right) {
+	left = Toy_unwrapValue(left);
+	right = Toy_unwrapValue(right);
+
 	//comparison means there's a difference in value, with some kind of quantity - so null, bool, etc. aren't comparable
 	switch(left.type) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_NULL:
@@ -266,30 +301,30 @@ int Toy_compareValues(Toy_Value left, Toy_Value right) {
 			break;
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_INTEGER:
-			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(right)) {
-				return TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(left) - TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(right);
+			if (right.type == TOY_VALUE_INTEGER) {
+				return left.as.integer - right.as.integer;
 			}
-			else if (TOY_VALUE_IS_FLOAT(right)) {
-				return TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(left) - TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(right);
+			else if (right.type == TOY_VALUE_FLOAT) {
+				return left.as.integer - right.as.number;
 			}
 			else {
 				break;
 			}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_FLOAT:
-			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(right)) {
-				return TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(left) - TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(right);
+			if (right.type == TOY_VALUE_INTEGER) {
+				return left.as.number - right.as.integer;
 			}
-			else if (TOY_VALUE_IS_FLOAT(right)) {
-				return TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(left) - TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(right);
+			else if (right.type == TOY_VALUE_FLOAT) {
+				return left.as.number - right.as.number;
 			}
 			else {
 				break;
 			}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_STRING:
-			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_STRING(right)) {
-				return Toy_compareStrings(TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(left), TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(right));
+			if (right.type == TOY_VALUE_STRING) {
+				return Toy_compareStrings(left.as.string, right.as.string);
 			}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_ARRAY:
@@ -300,15 +335,20 @@ int Toy_compareValues(Toy_Value left, Toy_Value right) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_TYPE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_ANY:
+		case TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_UNKNOWN:
-			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "Unknown types in value comparison, exiting\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
-			exit(-1);
+			break;
 	}
 
-	return -1;
+	fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "Unknown types in value comparison, exiting\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+	exit(-1);
+
+	return ~0;
 }
 
 Toy_String* Toy_stringifyValue(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Value value) {
+	value = Toy_unwrapValue(value);
+
 	//TODO: could have "constant" strings that can be referenced, instead of null, true, false, etc.
 
 	switch(value.type) {
@@ -316,18 +356,18 @@ Toy_String* Toy_stringifyValue(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Value value) {
 			return Toy_createString(bucketHandle, "null");
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_BOOLEAN:
-			return Toy_createString(bucketHandle, TOY_VALUE_AS_BOOLEAN(value) ? "true" : "false");
+			return Toy_createString(bucketHandle, value.as.boolean ? "true" : "false");
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_INTEGER: {
 			char buffer[16];
-			sprintf(buffer, "%d", TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(value));
+			sprintf(buffer, "%d", value.as.integer);
 			return Toy_createString(bucketHandle, buffer);
 		}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_FLOAT: {
 			//using printf
 			char buffer[16];
-			sprintf(buffer, "%f", TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(value));
+			sprintf(buffer, "%f", value.as.number);
 
 			//BUGFIX: printf format specificer '%f' will set the precision to 6 decimal places, which means there's trailing zeroes
 			unsigned int length = strlen(buffer);
@@ -343,28 +383,33 @@ Toy_String* Toy_stringifyValue(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Value value) {
 		}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_STRING:
-			return Toy_copyString(TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(value));
+			return Toy_copyString(value.as.string);
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_ARRAY: {
-			//TODO: concat + free is definitely a performance nightmare
-			Toy_Array* array = TOY_VALUE_AS_ARRAY(value);
+			//TODO: concat + free is definitely a performance nightmare, could make an append function?
+			Toy_Array* ptr = value.as.array;
 			Toy_String* string = Toy_createStringLength(bucketHandle, "[", 1);
 			Toy_String* comma = Toy_createStringLength(bucketHandle, ",", 1); //reusable
 
-			for (unsigned int i = 0; i < array->count; i++) {
+			for (unsigned int i = 0; i < ptr->count; i++) {
 				//append each element
-				Toy_String* tmp = Toy_concatStrings(bucketHandle, string, Toy_stringifyValue(bucketHandle, array->data[i])); //increment ref
+				Toy_String* tmp = Toy_concatStrings(bucketHandle, string, Toy_stringifyValue(bucketHandle, ptr->data[i])); //increment ref
 				Toy_freeString(string); //decrement ref
 				string = tmp;
 
 				//if we need a comma
-				if (i + 1 < array->count) {
+				if (i + 1 < ptr->count) {
 					Toy_String* tmp = Toy_concatStrings(bucketHandle, string, comma); //increment ref
 					Toy_freeString(string); //decrement ref
 					string = tmp;
 				}
 			}
 
+			//closing bracket
+			Toy_String* tmp = Toy_concatStrings(bucketHandle, string, Toy_createStringLength(bucketHandle, "]", 1));
+			Toy_freeString(string);
+			string = tmp;
+
 			//clean up
 			Toy_freeString(comma); //TODO: reusable global, or string type "permanent"
 
@@ -376,6 +421,7 @@ Toy_String* Toy_stringifyValue(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle, Toy_Value value) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_TYPE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_ANY:
+		case TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE:
 		case TOY_VALUE_UNKNOWN:
 			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "Unknown types in value stringify, exiting\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 			exit(-1);
@@ -397,6 +443,7 @@ const char* Toy_private_getValueTypeAsCString(Toy_ValueType type) {
 		case TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE: return "opaque";
 		case TOY_VALUE_TYPE: return "type";
 		case TOY_VALUE_ANY: return "any";
+		case TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE: return "reference";
 		case TOY_VALUE_UNKNOWN: return "unknown";
 	}
 

source/toy_value.h

@@ -20,12 +20,15 @@ typedef enum Toy_ValueType {
 	TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE,
 	TOY_VALUE_TYPE,
 	TOY_VALUE_ANY,
+
+	TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE, //not a value itself, but pointing to one
 	TOY_VALUE_UNKNOWN, //The correct type is unknown, but will be determined later
 } Toy_ValueType;
 
 //8 bytes in size
 typedef struct Toy_Value {             //32 | 64 BITNESS
 	union {
+		struct Toy_Value* reference;   //4  | 8
 		bool boolean;                  //1  | 1
 		int integer;                   //4  | 4
 		float number;                  //4  | 4
@@ -33,26 +36,29 @@ typedef struct Toy_Value {          //32 | 64 BITNESS
 		struct Toy_Array* array;       //4  | 8
 		//TODO: more types go here
 		//TODO: consider 'stack' as a possible addition
+
 	} as;                              //4  | 8
 
 	Toy_ValueType type;                //4  | 4
 } Toy_Value;                           //8  | 16
 
-#define TOY_VALUE_IS_NULL(value)				((value).type == TOY_VALUE_NULL)
-#define TOY_VALUE_IS_BOOLEAN(value)				((value).type == TOY_VALUE_BOOLEAN)
-#define TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(value)				((value).type == TOY_VALUE_INTEGER)
-#define TOY_VALUE_IS_FLOAT(value)				((value).type == TOY_VALUE_FLOAT)
-#define TOY_VALUE_IS_STRING(value)				((value).type == TOY_VALUE_STRING)
-#define TOY_VALUE_IS_ARRAY(value)				((value).type == TOY_VALUE_ARRAY)
-#define TOY_VALUE_IS_TABLE(value)				((value).type == TOY_VALUE_TABLE)
-#define TOY_VALUE_IS_FUNCTION(value)			((value).type == TOY_VALUE_FUNCTION)
-#define TOY_VALUE_IS_OPAQUE(value)				((value).type == TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE)
+#define TOY_VALUE_IS_NULL(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).type == TOY_VALUE_NULL)
+#define TOY_VALUE_IS_BOOLEAN(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).type == TOY_VALUE_BOOLEAN)
+#define TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).type == TOY_VALUE_INTEGER)
+#define TOY_VALUE_IS_FLOAT(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).type == TOY_VALUE_FLOAT)
+#define TOY_VALUE_IS_STRING(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).type == TOY_VALUE_STRING)
+#define TOY_VALUE_IS_ARRAY(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).type == TOY_VALUE_ARRAY)
+#define TOY_VALUE_IS_TABLE(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).type == TOY_VALUE_TABLE)
+#define TOY_VALUE_IS_FUNCTION(value)			(Toy_unwrapValue(value).type == TOY_VALUE_FUNCTION)
+#define TOY_VALUE_IS_OPAQUE(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).type == TOY_VALUE_OPAQUE)
+#define TOY_VALUE_IS_TYPE(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).type == TOY_VALUE_TYPE)
+#define TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value)			((value).type == TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE)
 
-#define TOY_VALUE_AS_BOOLEAN(value)				((value).as.boolean)
-#define TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(value)				((value).as.integer)
-#define TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(value)				((value).as.number)
-#define TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(value)				((value).as.string)
-#define TOY_VALUE_AS_ARRAY(value)				((value).as.array)
+#define TOY_VALUE_AS_BOOLEAN(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).as.boolean)
+#define TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).as.integer)
+#define TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).as.number)
+#define TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).as.string)
+#define TOY_VALUE_AS_ARRAY(value)				(Toy_unwrapValue(value).as.array)
 //TODO: more
 
 #define TOY_VALUE_FROM_NULL()					((Toy_Value){{ .integer = 0 }, TOY_VALUE_NULL})
@@ -63,7 +69,10 @@ typedef struct Toy_Value {          //32 | 64 BITNESS
 #define TOY_VALUE_FROM_ARRAY(value)				((Toy_Value){{ .array = value }, TOY_VALUE_ARRAY})
 //TODO: more
 
+#define TOY_REFERENCE_FROM_POINTER(ptr)			((Toy_Value){{ .reference = ptr }, TOY_VALUE_REFERENCE})
+
 //utilities
+TOY_API Toy_Value Toy_unwrapValue(Toy_Value value);
 TOY_API unsigned int Toy_hashValue(Toy_Value value);
 
 TOY_API Toy_Value Toy_copyValue(Toy_Value value);

source/toy_vm.c

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "toy_opcodes.h"
 #include "toy_value.h"
 #include "toy_string.h"
+#include "toy_array.h"
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -90,8 +91,34 @@ static void processRead(Toy_VM* vm) {
 		}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_ARRAY: {
-			//
-			// break;
+			fixAlignment(vm);
+
+			//the number of values to read from the stack
+			unsigned int count = (unsigned int)READ_INT(vm);
+			unsigned int capacity = count > TOY_ARRAY_INITIAL_CAPACITY ? count : TOY_ARRAY_INITIAL_CAPACITY;
+
+			//neat trick to find the next power of two, inclusive (restriction of the array system) TODO: move this into a function
+			capacity--;
+			capacity |= capacity >> 1;
+			capacity |= capacity >> 2;
+			capacity |= capacity >> 4;
+			capacity |= capacity >> 8;
+			capacity |= capacity >> 16;
+			capacity++;
+
+			//create the array and read in the values
+			Toy_Array* array = Toy_resizeArray(NULL, capacity);
+			array->capacity = capacity;
+			array->count = count;
+
+			for (int i = count - 1; i >= 0; i--) { //read in backwards from the stack
+				array->data[i] = Toy_popStack(&vm->stack);
+			}
+
+			//finished
+			value = TOY_VALUE_FROM_ARRAY(array);
+
+			break;
 		}
 
 		case TOY_VALUE_TABLE: {
@@ -174,6 +201,8 @@ static void processAssign(Toy_VM* vm) {
 	//assign it
 	Toy_assignScope(vm->scope, TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(name), value);
 
+	//URGENT: complex assignments
+
 	//cleanup
 	Toy_freeValue(name);
 }
@@ -187,9 +216,20 @@ static void processAccess(Toy_VM* vm) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	//find and push the value
-	Toy_Value value = Toy_accessScope(vm->scope, TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(name));
-	Toy_pushStack(&vm->stack, Toy_copyValue(value));
+	//find the value
+	Toy_Value* valuePtr = Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(vm->scope, TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(name));
+
+	//in the event of a certain subset of types, create references instead (these should only exist on the stack)
+	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(*valuePtr) || TOY_VALUE_IS_ARRAY(*valuePtr)) {
+		//TODO: more types to be implemented
+		Toy_Value ref = TOY_REFERENCE_FROM_POINTER(valuePtr);
+
+		Toy_pushStack(&vm->stack, ref);
+	}
+
+	else {
+		Toy_pushStack(&vm->stack, Toy_copyValue(*valuePtr));
+	}
 
 	//cleanup
 	Toy_freeValue(name);
@@ -198,7 +238,6 @@ static void processAccess(Toy_VM* vm) {
 static void processDuplicate(Toy_VM* vm) {
 	Toy_Value value = Toy_copyValue(Toy_peekStack(&vm->stack));
 	Toy_pushStack(&vm->stack, value);
-	Toy_freeValue(value);
 
 	//check for compound assignments
 	Toy_OpcodeType squeezed = READ_BYTE(vm);
@@ -216,8 +255,15 @@ static void processArithmetic(Toy_VM* vm, Toy_OpcodeType opcode) {
 		char buffer[256];
 		snprintf(buffer, 256, "Invalid types '%s' and '%s' passed in arithmetic", Toy_private_getValueTypeAsCString(left.type), Toy_private_getValueTypeAsCString(right.type));
 		Toy_error(buffer);
+
+		if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(left) != true) {
 			Toy_freeValue(left);
+		}
+
+		if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(right) != true) {
 			Toy_freeValue(right);
+		}
+
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -297,17 +343,30 @@ static void processComparison(Toy_VM* vm, Toy_OpcodeType opcode) {
 			Toy_pushStack(&vm->stack, TOY_VALUE_FROM_BOOLEAN(!equal) );
 		}
 
+		if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(left) != true) {
 			Toy_freeValue(left);
+		}
+
+		if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(right) != true) {
 			Toy_freeValue(right);
+		}
+
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (Toy_checkValuesAreComparable(left, right) == false) {
+	if (Toy_checkValuesAreComparable(left, right) != true) {
 		char buffer[256];
 		snprintf(buffer, 256, "Can't compare value types '%s' and '%s'", Toy_private_getValueTypeAsCString(left.type), Toy_private_getValueTypeAsCString(right.type));
 		Toy_error(buffer);
+
+		if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(left) != true) {
 			Toy_freeValue(left);
+		}
+
+		if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(right) != true) {
 			Toy_freeValue(right);
+		}
+
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -333,9 +392,14 @@ static void processComparison(Toy_VM* vm, Toy_OpcodeType opcode) {
 		Toy_pushStack(&vm->stack, TOY_VALUE_FROM_BOOLEAN(false));
 	}
 
+	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(left) != true) {
 		Toy_freeValue(left);
+	}
+
+	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(right) != true) {
 		Toy_freeValue(right);
 	}
+}
 
 static void processLogical(Toy_VM* vm, Toy_OpcodeType opcode) {
 	if (opcode == TOY_OPCODE_AND) {
@@ -382,20 +446,29 @@ static void processJump(Toy_VM* vm) {
 		case TOY_OP_PARAM_JUMP_IF_TRUE: {
 			Toy_Value value = Toy_popStack(&vm->stack);
 			if (Toy_checkValueIsTruthy(value) == true) {
+				if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
 					Toy_freeValue(value);
+				}
 				break;
 			}
+
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
 				Toy_freeValue(value);
+			}
 			return;
 		}
 
 		case TOY_OP_PARAM_JUMP_IF_FALSE: {
 			Toy_Value value = Toy_popStack(&vm->stack);
 			if (Toy_checkValueIsTruthy(value) != true) {
+				if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
 					Toy_freeValue(value);
+				}
 				break;
 			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
 				Toy_freeValue(value);
+			}
 			return;
 		}
 	}
@@ -433,7 +506,7 @@ static void processAssert(Toy_VM* vm) {
 	}
 
 	//do the check
-	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_NULL(value) || Toy_checkValueIsTruthy(value) == false) {
+	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_NULL(value) || Toy_checkValueIsTruthy(value) != true) {
 		//on a failure, print the message
 		Toy_String* string = Toy_stringifyValue(&vm->stringBucket, message);
 		char* buffer = Toy_getStringRawBuffer(string);
@@ -446,9 +519,14 @@ static void processAssert(Toy_VM* vm) {
 	}
 
 	//cleanup
+	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
 		Toy_freeValue(value);
+	}
+
+	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(message) != true) {
 		Toy_freeValue(message);
 	}
+}
 
 static void processPrint(Toy_VM* vm) {
 	//print the value on top of the stack, popping it
@@ -460,8 +538,11 @@ static void processPrint(Toy_VM* vm) {
 
 	free(buffer);
 	Toy_freeString(string);
+
+	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
 		Toy_freeValue(value);
 	}
+}
 
 static void processConcat(Toy_VM* vm) {
 	Toy_Value right = Toy_popStack(&vm->stack);
@@ -469,6 +550,13 @@ static void processConcat(Toy_VM* vm) {
 
 	if (!TOY_VALUE_IS_STRING(left) || !TOY_VALUE_IS_STRING(right)) {
 		Toy_error("Failed to concatenate a value that is not a string");
+
+		if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(left) != true) {
+			Toy_freeValue(left);
+		}
+		if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(right) != true) {
+			Toy_freeValue(right);
+		}
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -495,7 +583,7 @@ static void processIndex(Toy_VM* vm) {
 	}
 	else {
 		Toy_error("Incorrect number of elements found in index");
-		//TODO: clear stack
+		//URGENT: clear stack, then leave null
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -504,26 +592,53 @@ static void processIndex(Toy_VM* vm) {
 		//type checks
 		if (!TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(index)) {
 			Toy_error("Failed to index a string");
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
 				Toy_freeValue(value);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(index) != true) {
 				Toy_freeValue(index);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(length) != true) {
 				Toy_freeValue(length);
+			}
 			return;
 		}
 
 		if (!(TOY_VALUE_IS_NULL(length) || TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(length))) {
 			Toy_error("Failed to index-length a string");
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
 				Toy_freeValue(value);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(index) != true) {
 				Toy_freeValue(index);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(length) != true) {
 				Toy_freeValue(length);
+			}
 			return;
 		}
 
 		//extract values
 		int i = TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(index);
 		int l = TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(length) ? TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(length) : 1;
+		Toy_String* str = TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(value);
+
+		//check indexing is within bounds
+		if ( (i < 0 || i >= str->length) || (i+l <= 0 || i+l > str->length)) {
+			Toy_error("String index is out of bounds");
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(value);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(index) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(index);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(length) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(length);
+			}
+			return;
+		}
 
 		//extract string
-		Toy_String* str = TOY_VALUE_AS_STRING(value);
 		Toy_String* result = NULL;
 
 		//extract cstring, based on type
@@ -545,15 +660,84 @@ static void processIndex(Toy_VM* vm) {
 		Toy_pushStack(&vm->stack, TOY_VALUE_FROM_STRING(result));
 	}
 
+	else if (TOY_VALUE_IS_ARRAY(value)) {
+		//type checks
+		if (!TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(index)) {
+			Toy_error("Failed to index a string");
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(value);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(index) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(index);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(length) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(length);
+			}
+			return;
+		}
+
+		if (!(TOY_VALUE_IS_NULL(length) || TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(length))) {
+			Toy_error("Failed to index-length a string");
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(value);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(index) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(index);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(length) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(length);
+			}
+			return;
+		}
+
+		//extract values
+		int i = TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(index);
+		int l = TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(length) ? TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(length) : 1;
+		Toy_Array* array = TOY_VALUE_AS_ARRAY(value);
+
+		//check indexing is within bounds
+		if ( (i < 0 || i >= array->count) || (i+l <= 0 || i+l > array->count)) {
+			Toy_error("Array index is out of bounds");
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(value);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(index) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(index);
+			}
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(length) != true) {
+				Toy_freeValue(length);
+			}
+			return;
+		}
+
+		//in the event of a certain subset of types, create references instead (these should only exist on the stack)
+		if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(array->data[i]) || TOY_VALUE_IS_ARRAY(array->data[i])) {
+			//TODO: more types to be implemented
+			Toy_Value ref = TOY_REFERENCE_FROM_POINTER(&(array->data[i]));
+
+			Toy_pushStack(&vm->stack, ref);
+		}
+
+		else {
+			Toy_pushStack(&vm->stack, Toy_copyValue(array->data[i]));
+		}
+	}
+
 	else {
 		fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Unknown value type '%s' found in processIndex, exiting\n" TOY_CC_RESET, Toy_private_getValueTypeAsCString(value.type));
 		exit(-1);
 	}
 
+	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(value) != true) {
 		Toy_freeValue(value);
+	}
+	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(index) != true) {
 		Toy_freeValue(index);
+	}
+	if (TOY_VALUE_IS_REFERENCE(length) != true) {
 		Toy_freeValue(length);
 	}
+}
 
 static void process(Toy_VM* vm) {
 	while(true) {

tests/cases/test_ast.c

@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ int test_sizeof_ast_64bit() {
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstBinary, 24);
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstCompare, 24);
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstGroup, 16);
-	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstCompound, 24);
+	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstCompound, 16);
+	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstAggregate, 24);
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstAssert, 24);
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstIfThenElse, 32);
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstWhileThen, 24);
@@ -61,7 +62,8 @@ int test_sizeof_ast_32bit() {
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstBinary, 16);
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstCompare, 16);
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstGroup, 8);
-	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstCompound, 16);
+	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstCompound, 12);
+	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstAggregate, 16);
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstAssert, 12);
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstIfThenElse, 16);
 	TEST_SIZEOF(Toy_AstWhileThen, 12);
@@ -194,33 +196,33 @@ int test_type_emission(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	//emit compound
+	//emit aggregate
 	{
 		//build the AST
 		Toy_Ast* ast = NULL;
 		Toy_Ast* right = NULL;
 		Toy_private_emitAstValue(bucketHandle, &ast, TOY_VALUE_FROM_INTEGER(42));
 		Toy_private_emitAstValue(bucketHandle, &right, TOY_VALUE_FROM_INTEGER(69));
-		Toy_private_emitAstCompound(bucketHandle, &ast, TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_COLLECTION, right);
+		Toy_private_emitAstAggregate(bucketHandle, &ast, TOY_AST_FLAG_COLLECTION, right);
 
 		//check if it worked
 		if (
 			ast == NULL ||
-			ast->type != TOY_AST_COMPOUND ||
+			ast->type != TOY_AST_AGGREGATE ||
 
-			ast->compound.left == NULL ||
-			ast->compound.left->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->compound.left->value.value) != true ||
-			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->compound.left->value.value) != 42 ||
+			ast->aggregate.left == NULL ||
+			ast->aggregate.left->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->aggregate.left->value.value) != true ||
+			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->aggregate.left->value.value) != 42 ||
 
-			ast->compound.right == NULL ||
-			ast->compound.right->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->compound.right->value.value) != true ||
-			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->compound.right->value.value) != 69 ||
+			ast->aggregate.right == NULL ||
+			ast->aggregate.right->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->aggregate.right->value.value) != true ||
+			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->aggregate.right->value.value) != 69 ||
 
 			false)
 		{
-			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: failed to emit a compound as 'Toy_Ast', state unknown\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
+			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: failed to emit an aggregate as 'Toy_Ast', state unknown\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 			return -1;
 		}
 	}

tests/cases/test_parser.c

@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ int test_binary(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int test_compound(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
+int test_aggregate(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
 	//test collections (do it first, because it's used below)
 	{
 		char* source = "1, 2, 3;";
@@ -467,27 +467,27 @@ int test_compound(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
 			ast->type != TOY_AST_BLOCK ||
 			ast->block.child == NULL ||
 
-			ast->block.child->type != TOY_AST_COMPOUND ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.flag != TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_COLLECTION ||
+			ast->block.child->type != TOY_AST_AGGREGATE ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.flag != TOY_AST_FLAG_COLLECTION ||
 
-			ast->block.child->compound.left == NULL ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.left->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.left->value.value) != true ||
-			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.left->value.value) != 1 ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.left == NULL ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.left->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.left->value.value) != true ||
+			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.left->value.value) != 1 ||
 
-			ast->block.child->compound.right == NULL ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.right->type != TOY_AST_COMPOUND ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.flag != TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_COLLECTION ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.right == NULL ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.right->type != TOY_AST_AGGREGATE ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.flag != TOY_AST_FLAG_COLLECTION ||
 
-			ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.left == NULL ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.left->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.left->value.value) != true ||
-			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.left->value.value) != 2 ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.left == NULL ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.left->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.left->value.value) != true ||
+			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.left->value.value) != 2 ||
 
-			ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.right == NULL ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.right->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.right->value.value) != true ||
-			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.right->value.value) != 3 ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.right == NULL ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.right->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.right->value.value) != true ||
+			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.right->value.value) != 3 ||
 
 			false)
 		{
@@ -507,17 +507,17 @@ int test_compound(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
 			ast->type != TOY_AST_BLOCK ||
 			ast->block.child == NULL ||
 
-			ast->block.child->type != TOY_AST_COMPOUND ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.flag != TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_INDEX ||
+			ast->block.child->type != TOY_AST_AGGREGATE ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.flag != TOY_AST_FLAG_INDEX ||
 
-			ast->block.child->compound.left == NULL ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.left->type != TOY_AST_VAR_ACCESS ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.left->varAccess.name->type != TOY_STRING_NAME ||
-			strcmp(ast->block.child->compound.left->varAccess.name->as.name.data, "name") != 0 ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.left == NULL ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.left->type != TOY_AST_VAR_ACCESS ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.left->varAccess.name->type != TOY_STRING_NAME ||
+			strcmp(ast->block.child->aggregate.left->varAccess.name->as.name.data, "name") != 0 ||
 
-			ast->block.child->compound.right->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.right->value.value) != true ||
-			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.right->value.value) != 0 ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.right->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.right->value.value) != true ||
+			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.right->value.value) != 0 ||
 
 			false)
 		{
@@ -537,23 +537,23 @@ int test_compound(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
 			ast->type != TOY_AST_BLOCK ||
 			ast->block.child == NULL ||
 
-			ast->block.child->type != TOY_AST_COMPOUND ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.flag != TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_INDEX ||
+			ast->block.child->type != TOY_AST_AGGREGATE ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.flag != TOY_AST_FLAG_INDEX ||
 
-			ast->block.child->compound.left == NULL ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.left->type != TOY_AST_VAR_ACCESS ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.left->varAccess.name->type != TOY_STRING_NAME ||
-			strcmp(ast->block.child->compound.left->varAccess.name->as.name.data, "name") != 0 ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.left == NULL ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.left->type != TOY_AST_VAR_ACCESS ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.left->varAccess.name->type != TOY_STRING_NAME ||
+			strcmp(ast->block.child->aggregate.left->varAccess.name->as.name.data, "name") != 0 ||
 
-			ast->block.child->compound.right->type != TOY_AST_COMPOUND ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.flag != TOY_AST_FLAG_COMPOUND_COLLECTION ||
-			ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.left->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.right->type != TOY_AST_AGGREGATE ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.flag != TOY_AST_FLAG_COLLECTION ||
+			ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.left->type != TOY_AST_VALUE ||
 
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.left->value.value) != true ||
-			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.left->value.value) != 0 ||
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.left->value.value) != true ||
+			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.left->value.value) != 0 ||
 
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.right->value.value) != true ||
-			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->compound.right->compound.right->value.value) != 1 ||
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.right->value.value) != true ||
+			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(ast->block.child->aggregate.right->aggregate.right->value.value) != 1 ||
 
 			false)
 		{
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ int main() {
 
 	{
 		Toy_Bucket* bucket = Toy_allocateBucket(TOY_BUCKET_IDEAL);
-		res = test_compound(&bucket);
+		res = test_aggregate(&bucket);
 		Toy_freeBucket(&bucket);
 		if (res == 0) {
 			printf(TOY_CC_NOTICE "All good\n" TOY_CC_RESET);

tests/cases/test_scope.c

@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ int test_scope_elements() {
 			return -1;
 		}
 
-		Toy_Value result = Toy_accessScope(scope, hello2);
+		Toy_Value* result = Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(scope, hello2);
 
 		//check integer
 		if (scope == NULL ||
@@ -338,8 +338,8 @@ int test_scope_elements() {
 			scope->table->capacity != 8 ||
 			scope->refCount != 1 ||
 
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(result) != true ||
-			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(result) != 42 ||
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(*result) != true ||
+			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(*result) != 42 ||
 
 			false)
 		{
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ int test_scope_elements() {
 		//assign values
 		Toy_assignScope(scope, hello1, TOY_VALUE_FROM_FLOAT(3.1415f));
 
-		Toy_Value resultTwo = Toy_accessScope(scope, hello2);
+		Toy_Value* resultTwo = Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(scope, hello2);
 
 		//check float
 		if (scope == NULL ||
@@ -363,8 +363,8 @@ int test_scope_elements() {
 			scope->table->capacity != 8 ||
 			scope->refCount != 1 ||
 
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_FLOAT(resultTwo) != true ||
-			TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(resultTwo) != 3.1415f ||
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_FLOAT(*resultTwo) != true ||
+			TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(*resultTwo) != 3.1415f ||
 
 			false)
 		{
@@ -399,10 +399,10 @@ int test_scope_elements() {
 
 		{
 			//check it's accessible
-			Toy_Value result1 = Toy_accessScope(scope, hello);
+			Toy_Value* result1 = Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(scope, hello);
 
-			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(result1) != true ||
-				TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(result1) != 42)
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(*result1) != true ||
+				TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(*result1) != 42)
 			{
 				fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Failed to access from an ancestor Toy_Scope\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 				Toy_freeString(hello);
@@ -416,10 +416,10 @@ int test_scope_elements() {
 
 		{
 			//check it's shadowed correctly
-			Toy_Value result2 = Toy_accessScope(scope, hello);
+			Toy_Value* result2 = Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(scope, hello);
 
-			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_FLOAT(result2) != true ||
-				TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(result2) != 3.1415f)
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_FLOAT(*result2) != true ||
+				TOY_VALUE_AS_FLOAT(*result2) != 3.1415f)
 			{
 				fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Failed to shadow an entry in Toy_Scope\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 				Toy_freeString(hello);
@@ -433,10 +433,10 @@ int test_scope_elements() {
 
 		{
 			//check it's recovered correctly
-			Toy_Value result3 = Toy_accessScope(scope, hello);
+			Toy_Value* result3 = Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(scope, hello);
 
-			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(result3) != true ||
-				TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(result3) != 42)
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(*result3) != true ||
+				TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(*result3) != 42)
 			{
 				fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Failed to recover an entry in Toy_Scope\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 				Toy_freeString(hello);
@@ -450,10 +450,10 @@ int test_scope_elements() {
 
 		{
 			//check it's assigned correctly
-			Toy_Value result4 = Toy_accessScope(scope, hello);
+			Toy_Value* result4 = Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(scope, hello);
 
-			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(result4) != true ||
-				TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(result4) != 8891)
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(*result4) != true ||
+				TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(*result4) != 8891)
 			{
 				fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Failed to assign to an ancestor in Toy_Scope\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 				Toy_freeString(hello);
@@ -467,10 +467,10 @@ int test_scope_elements() {
 
 		{
 			//check it's in the correct state
-			Toy_Value result5 = Toy_accessScope(scope, hello);
+			Toy_Value* result5 = Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(scope, hello);
 
-			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(result5) != true ||
-				TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(result5) != 8891)
+			if (TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(*result5) != true ||
+				TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(*result5) != 8891)
 			{
 				fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Failed to access an altered entry of an ancestor in Toy_Scope\n" TOY_CC_RESET);
 				Toy_freeString(hello);

tests/cases/test_vm.c

@@ -663,8 +663,8 @@ int test_scope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
 
 			vm.scope == NULL ||
 			Toy_isDeclaredScope(vm.scope, key) == false ||
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(Toy_accessScope(vm.scope, key)) != true ||
-			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(Toy_accessScope(vm.scope, key)) != 42
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_INTEGER(*Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(vm.scope, key)) != true ||
+			TOY_VALUE_AS_INTEGER(*Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(vm.scope, key)) != 42
 
 		)
 		{
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ int test_scope(Toy_Bucket** bucketHandle) {
 
 			vm.scope == NULL ||
 			Toy_isDeclaredScope(vm.scope, key) == false ||
-			TOY_VALUE_IS_NULL(Toy_accessScope(vm.scope, key)) != true
+			TOY_VALUE_IS_NULL(*Toy_accessScopeAsPointer(vm.scope, key)) != true
 		)
 		{
 			fprintf(stderr, TOY_CC_ERROR "ERROR: Unexpected result in 'Toy_VM' when testing scope, source: %s\n" TOY_CC_RESET, source);