/*!
 * @file class_list.h
  *  Definition of the Class List, that handles a Class-Specific-Control structure

 */

#ifndef _CLASS_LIST_H
#define _CLASS_LIST_H

#include "class_id.h"

// FORWARD DEFINITION
class BaseObject;
template<class T> class tList;


//! A class that handles Pointers to Objects of all type.
/**
 * here all the Pointers to all the Object of orxonox are stored, that implement BaseObject
 * for now.
 * You can get Any Object's Reference to BaseObject with dynamic_cast<T>(ClassList::getObject(name, CL_T_NAME));
 *  where: T: is the Class to cast to,
 *   name: the name of the Object (not className)
 *   CL_T_NAME: the class Identifier, (if CL_NULL or nothing it will take longer, because all BaseObject's are searched through)
 *
 * There is also the exists-function, that just checks, if a Reference is still in existence.
 *
 * @see ClassID, BaseObject, dynamic_cast
 */
class ClassList {

  public:
    ClassList(const long& classID, const char* className);
    virtual ~ClassList();

    // STATIC FUNCTIONS
    static void                     addToClassList(BaseObject* objectPointer, const long& classID, const char* className);
    static void                     removeFromClassList(BaseObject* objectPointer);

    static tList<BaseObject>*       getList(long classID = CL_NULL);
    static tList<BaseObject>*       getList(const char* className);
    static const tList<const char>* getClassList();
    static BaseObject*              getObject(const char* name, long classID = CL_NULL);
    static bool                     exists(const BaseObject* object, long classID = CL_NULL);

    static void                     whatIs(const BaseObject* object);

    static const char*              IDToString(long classID = CL_NULL);
    static long                     StringToID(const char* className);
    static void                     debug(unsigned int debugLevel = 0, long classID = CL_NULL);


  private:
    tList<BaseObject>*              objectList;             //!< A list of Objects belonging to this Class

    long                            classID;                //!< ClassID stored in this ClassList \see ClassID
    const char*                     className;              //!< Name of the Class Stored here

    ClassList*                      next;                   //!< Pointer to the next class in the List

    // STATIC MEMBERS
    static ClassList*               first;                  //!< The first Class in the List
    static tList<const char>*       classList;              //!< a List of all Names of all classes, that have registered so far.
    static unsigned int             classCount;             //!< The Count of classes that have been registered (should match the lower description)
};

#endif /* _CLASS_LIST_H */