/*! 
 *  \brief Defines the ArClientArg class.
 *  \date 05/01/05
 *  \author K. Cunningham
 * 
**/
#ifndef ARCLIENTARGUTILS_H
#define ARCLIENTARGUTILS_H

#include "Aria.h"

class ArNetPacket;
class ArConfigArg;

/// Small helper class for sending/receiving an ArConfigArg in an ArNetPacket.
/**
 * ArClientArg defines methods for packing/unpacking an ArConfigArg into/from
 * an ArNetPacket.  (The name of the class is a slight misnomer since it may
 * be used both on the server and client sides.)
 * <p>
 * The structure of the network packet information is as follows:
 * <pre>
 *    string: arg.getName()
 *    string: arg.getDescription()
 *    byte: arg.getConfigPriority()
 *    byte: arg type ('B' == BOOL | 'I' == INT | 'D' == DOUBLE | 'S' == STRING | 'L' == LIST)
 *    &lt;arg values&gt;
 *    string: arg.getDisplayHint()      -- only if isDisplayHintParsed is set to true
 *    string: arg.getExtraExplanation() -- only if version >= 2
 *    byte: arg.getRestartLevel()       -- only if version >= 2
 * 
 *    &lt;arg values&gt; varies by arg type:
 *
 *    if BOOL, then:
 *        byte: arg.getBool()
 *    if INT, then:
 *	      byte4: arg.getInt()
 *		    byte4: arg.getMinInt()
 *		    byte4: arg.getMaxInt()
 *    if DOUBLE, then:
 *	      byte4: arg.getDouble()
 *		    byte4: arg.getMinDouble()
 *		    byte4: arg.getMaxDouble()
 *        byte4: arg.getDoublePrecision()  -- only if version >= 2
 *    if STRING, then:
 *        string: arg.getString()
 *    if LIST, then:
 *        byte4: arg.getArgCount()
 *        &lt;list contents&gt;
 *        
 *
 *    
 * </pre>
 * <p>
 * ArClientArg also defines methods to send an "abbreviated" ArConfigArg 
 * (i.e. just value).  The short packet structure is as follows:
 * <pre>
 *    &lt;arg value&gt; varies by arg type:
 *    if BOOL, then:
 *        byte: arg.getBool()
 *    if INT, then:
 *	      byte4: arg.getInt()
 *    if DOUBLE, then:
 *	      byte4: arg.getDouble()
 *    if STRING, then:
 *        string: arg.getString()
 *    if LIST, then:
 *        <TODO>
 *        &lt;list contents&gt;
 * </pre>
 * Lastly, it defines a method to send an "abbreviated" ArConfigArg in a
 * text format.  
**/
class ArClientArg
{
public:

	/// Constructor
	AREXPORT ArClientArg(bool isDisplayHintParsed = false, 
                       ArPriority::Priority lastPriority = ArPriority::LAST_PRIORITY,
                       int version = 1);
	
	/// Destructor
	AREXPORT virtual ~ArClientArg();

  /// Returns whether the given parameter can be sent in a network packet.
  /**
   * Currently, a parameter can only be sent if it is of type INT, DOUBLE,
   * STRING, BOOL, LIST, or a SEPARATOR.
  **/
  AREXPORT virtual bool isSendableParamType(const ArConfigArg &arg);
	
	/// Unpacks the given network packet and stores the data in the config arg.
	/**
	 * @param packet the ArNetPacket * from which data is extracted
	 * @param argOut the ArConfigArg in which to set the data
	 * @return bool set to true if the data was successfully extracted from
	 * the packet; false if an error occurred and argOut is invalid
	**/
	AREXPORT virtual bool createArg(ArNetPacket *packet, 
						                      ArConfigArg &argOut);


	/// Stores the given config arg into the network packet. 
	/**
	 * @param arg the ArConfigArg from which to retrieve the data
	 * @param packet the ArNetPacket * to which data is added
	 * @return bool set to true if the data was successfully stored in
	 * the packet; false if an error occurred and the packet is invalid
	**/
  AREXPORT virtual bool createPacket(const ArConfigArg &arg,
                                     ArNetPacket *packet);



	/// Unpacks the abbreviated arg value and stores the data in the config arg.
	/**
	 * @param packet the ArNetPacket * from which data is extracted
	 * @param arg the ArConfigArg in which to set the value
	 * @return bool set to true if the data was successfully extracted from
	 * the packet; false if an error occurred and arg is invalid
	**/
  AREXPORT virtual bool bufToArgValue(ArNetPacket *packet,
                                      ArConfigArg &arg);

  /// Stores the abbreviated arg value into the network packet.
  /**
   * @param arg the ArConfigArg from which to retrieve the data
 	 * @param packet the ArNetPacket * to which data is added
	 * @return bool set to true if the data was successfully stored in
	 * the packet; false if an error occurred and the packet is invalid
 **/
	AREXPORT virtual bool argValueToBuf(const ArConfigArg &arg,
                                      ArNetPacket *packet);



  /// Stores the arg value into the network packet as a text string.
  /**
   * The stored text string is suitable for parsing by an ArArgumentBuilder.
   *
   * @param arg the ArConfigArg from which to retrieve the data
 	 * @param packet the ArNetPacket * to which data is added
	 * @return bool set to true if the data was successfully stored in
	 * the packet; false if an error occurred and the packet is invalid
 **/
	AREXPORT virtual bool argTextToBuf(const ArConfigArg &arg,
                                     ArNetPacket *packet);


  AREXPORT virtual bool addArgTextToPacket(const ArConfigArg &arg,
                                           ArNetPacket *packet);

protected:

  enum {
    BUFFER_LENGTH = 1024
  };

  bool myIsDisplayHintParsed;
  ArPriority::Priority myLastPriority;
  int myVersion;

  char myBuffer[BUFFER_LENGTH];
  char myDisplayBuffer[BUFFER_LENGTH];
  char myExtraBuffer[BUFFER_LENGTH];

}; // end class ArClientArgUtils
 
#endif //ARCLIENTARGUTILS_H