doubleptr.h

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// Copyright 2012 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
// Author: rays@google.com (Ray Smith)
// File:        doubleptr.h
// Description: Double-ended pointer that keeps pointing correctly even
//              when reallocated or copied.
// Author:      Ray Smith
// Created:     Wed Mar 14 12:22:57 PDT 2012
//
// (C) Copyright 2012, Google Inc.
// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
// You may obtain a copy of the License at
// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
// limitations under the License.
//

#ifndef TESSERACT_CCUTIL_DOUBLEPTR_H_
#define TESSERACT_CCUTIL_DOUBLEPTR_H_

#include "errcode.h"

namespace tesseract {

// A smart pointer class that implements a double-ended pointer. Each end
// points to the other end. The copy constructor and operator= have MOVE
// semantics, meaning that the relationship with the other end moves to the
// destination of the copy, leaving the source unattached.
// For this reason both the copy constructor and the operator= take a non-const
// reference argument, and the const reference versions cannot be used.
// DoublePtr is useful to incorporate into structures that are part of a
// collection such as GenericVector or STL containers, where reallocs can
// relocate the members. DoublePtr is also useful in a GenericHeap, where it
// can correctly maintain the pointer to an element of the heap despite it
// getting moved around on the heap.
class DoublePtr {
 public:
  DoublePtr() : other_end_(NULL) {}
  // Copy constructor steals the partner off src and is therefore a non
  // const reference arg.
  // Copying a const DoublePtr generates a compiler error.
  DoublePtr(DoublePtr& src) {
    other_end_ = src.other_end_;
    if (other_end_ != NULL) {
      other_end_->other_end_ = this;
      src.other_end_ = NULL;
    }
  }
  // Operator= steals the partner off src, and therefore needs src to be a non-
  // const reference.
  // Assigning from a const DoublePtr generates a compiler error.
  void operator=(DoublePtr& src) {
    Disconnect();
    other_end_ = src.other_end_;
    if (other_end_ != NULL) {
      other_end_->other_end_ = this;
      src.other_end_ = NULL;
    }
  }

  // Connects this and other, discarding any existing connections.
  void Connect(DoublePtr* other) {
    other->Disconnect();
    Disconnect();
    other->other_end_ = this;
    other_end_ = other;
  }
  // Disconnects this and other, making OtherEnd() return NULL for both.
  void Disconnect() {
    if (other_end_ != NULL) {
      other_end_->other_end_ = NULL;
      other_end_ = NULL;
    }
  }
  // Returns the pointer to the other end of the double pointer.
  DoublePtr* OtherEnd() const {
    return other_end_;
  }

 private:
  // Pointer to the other end of the link. It is always true that either
  // other_end_ == NULL or other_end_->other_end_ == this.
  DoublePtr* other_end_;
};

}  // namespace tesseract.

#endif  // THIRD_PARTY_TESSERACT_CCUTIL_DOUBLEPTR_H_