/*!
    \file base_object.h
    \brief 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"
#ifndef NULL
#define NULL 0x0        //!< NULL
#endif

class TiXmlElement;

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

 public:
  BaseObject (const TiXmlElement* root = NULL);
  virtual ~BaseObject ();

  void loadParams(const TiXmlElement* root);

  void setName (const char* newName);
  /** \brief returns the Name of this Object */
  inline const char* getName ()const { return this->objectName; };

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

  bool isA (long classID) const;
  void whatIs() const;

  /** \returns if the object is finalized */
  inline bool isFinalized() { return this->finalized; }


 protected:
  void setClassID(long classID, const char* className);

  /** \brief this finalizes an object and makes it ready to be garbage collected */
  void finalize() { this->finalized = true; };

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

    bool               finalized;        //!< is true if the object is ready to be garbage collected
};

#endif /* _BASE_OBJECT_H */