/*!
 * @file base_object.h
  *  Definition of the base object class.

    This is a global handler for all classes.
*/


#ifndef _BASE_OBJECT_H
#define _BASE_OBJECT_H

#include "class_id.h"
#include "debug.h"
#ifndef NULL
#define NULL     0    //!< NULL
#endif

#include <string>
#include "stdincl.h"

class TiXmlNode;
class TiXmlElement;
class ClassList;

//! A class all other classes are derived from
class BaseObject {

 public:
  BaseObject ();
  virtual ~BaseObject ();

  virtual void loadParams(const TiXmlElement* root);
  void setName (const std::string& newName);
  /** returns the Name of this Object */
  inline const char* getName ()const { return this->objectName.c_str(); };
  /** @returns the XML-Element with whicht this Object was loaded */
  inline TiXmlNode* getXmlElem() const { return this->xmlElem; };

  /** @returns the className of the corresponding Object */
  inline const char* getClassName() const { return this->className.c_str(); };
  /** @returns the classID of the corresponding Object */
  inline int getClassID() const { return this->classID; };
  ClassID    getLeafClassID() const;

  bool isA (ClassID classID) const;
  bool isA (const std::string& className) const;
  void whatIs() const;

  bool operator==(const std::string& objectName);
  /** @param classID comparer for a ClassID @returns true on match, false otherwise */
  bool operator==(ClassID classID) { return this->isA(classID); };

  int       writeState(const byte* data, int length, int sender);
  int       readState(byte* data, int maxLength );

 protected:
   void setClassID(ClassID classID, const std::string& className);

 private:
    std::string        className;        //!< the name of the class
    long               classID;          //!< this is the id from the class_id.h enumeration
    std::string        objectName;       //!< The name of this object

    ClassList*         classList;        //!< Pointer to the ClassList this Object is inside of

    TiXmlNode*         xmlElem;          //!< The XML Element with wich this Object was loaded(saved).
};

#endif /* _BASE_OBJECT_H */