/******************************************************************************
 ***   FILE: RobotPtr.h
 ***   DATE: 03/21/2004
 *** AUTHOR: Nicolai M. Josuttis
 ***         see Object-oriented programming in C++, chapter9, sectin 2
 ***   GOAL: This example that illustrates how to redeifine operators * and ->
 ***         to develop a new class of smart pointers that behave like a
 ***         garbage collector. That is, the object gets deleted when there is
 ***         no pointerts pointing at it left.
 ******************************************************************************/

#ifndef _ROBOT_PTR_
#define _ROBOT_PTR_

#include "Robot.h"

class RobotPtr {
   private:
      Robot *ptr;     // the pointer to a Robot object
      int   *counter; // we need to share the counter for all smart pointers
                      // that point to the same Robot object
      void release();
   public:
      RobotPtr(Robot *r=NULL) : ptr(r) { counter = new int;  *counter=1; };
      ~RobotPtr() { release(); };
      RobotPtr& operator=(const RobotPtr& p);
      Robot& operator*() { return *ptr; };
      Robot* operator->() { return ptr; };
};

#endif