From a0dd23e63eae5df02c062737e2679e31cd304655 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Rafal Kupiec <belliash@codingworkshop.eu.org>
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2026 17:29:24 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Fix instance-call diagnostics and declaring scope for static
 methods

---
 engine/vm.c | 15 ++++++++++++---
 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/engine/vm.c b/engine/vm.c
index b534941..a7380da 100644
--- a/engine/vm.c
+++ b/engine/vm.c
@@ -1111,7 +1111,7 @@ static ph7_vm_func *VmOverload(
 	sxi32 bInternal     /* VM-invoked methods already have an access context */
 ) {
 	sxu32 iTarget, j, k, iArgs, nCandidates, nCompatible, nCols, nPassed;
-	sxi32 bDominated;
+	sxi32 bDominated, bInstanceOnly = 0;
 	ph7_vm_func **apSet;
 	ph7_vm_func *pLink;
 	ph7_vm_func_arg *pFuncArg;
@@ -1160,10 +1160,13 @@ static ph7_vm_func *VmOverload(
 			for(pLink = pEntry ? (ph7_vm_func *)pEntry->pUserData : 0; pLink; pLink = pLink->pNextName) {
 				pMeth = (ph7_class_method *)pLink;
 				if((pMeth->iFlags & PH7_CLASS_ATTR_VIRTUAL) ||
-					(bStatic && !(pMeth->iFlags & PH7_CLASS_ATTR_STATIC)) ||
 					(!bInternal && !VmClassMemberAccess(pVm, pLink->pClass, pMeth->iProtection))) {
 					continue;
 				}
+				if(bStatic && !(pMeth->iFlags & PH7_CLASS_ATTR_STATIC)) {
+					bInstanceOnly = 1;
+					continue;
+				}
 				for(k = 0; k < SySetUsed(&sMethods); k++) {
 					if(PH7_VmSameSignature(pLink, *(ph7_vm_func **)SySetAt(&sMethods, k))) {
 						break;
@@ -1181,6 +1184,11 @@ static ph7_vm_func *VmOverload(
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	if(bInstanceOnly && SySetUsed(&sMethods) < 1) {
+		SySetRelease(&sMethods);
+		SySetRelease(&sSet);
+		PH7_VmThrowError(pVm, PH7_CTX_ERR, "Instance method '%z()' requires an object", &pList->sName);
+	}
 	/* Put functions whose arguments are compatible with the current call */
 	for(iMethod = 0; iMethod < SySetUsed(&sMethods); iMethod++) {
 		pLink = *(ph7_vm_func **)SySetAt(&sMethods, iMethod);
@@ -5743,7 +5751,8 @@ Resume:
 						} else {
 							pVmFunc = (ph7_vm_func *)pInstr->p3;
 						}
-						if(pThis && (pVmFunc->iFlags & VM_FUNC_CLASS_METHOD)) {
+						/* The selected declaration owns the scope, even without a receiver. */
+						if(pVmFunc->iFlags & VM_FUNC_CLASS_METHOD) {
 							pSelf = pVmFunc->pClass;
 						}
 						if(pVmFunc->iFlags & VM_FUNC_CLOSURE) {