includefile(include/header)

COMMENT(manpage, section, releasedate, archive, short name)
manpage(FBB::TableSupport)(3bobcat)(_CurYrs_)
    (libbobcat-dev__CurVers_-x.tar.gz)(Table Support Base class)

manpagename(FBB::TableSupport)(Defines protocols for Table-support classes)

manpagesynopsis()
    bf(#include <bobcat/tableSupport>)nl()
    Linking option: tt(-lbobcat) 

manpagedescription()
    This class is designed as a (non-pure) base class for objects handling
some of the functionality of tt(FBB::Table) and tt(FBB::TableBuf) objects. By
overriding its virtual functions users have control over the way the actual
layout of tables is defined. By default the virtual members of this class
do not separate the columns of the table from each other

The Bobcat library offers the specialized class tt(TableLines) extending the
basic facilities of tt(TableSupport) by allowing rows to be separated from
each other by (partial) horizontal lines (see the bf(tablelines)(3bobcat)
man-page for a description).

    When more specialized handling is required a class should be derived from
bf(FBB::TableSupport) overriding those members that violate the programmer's
current intentions. An object of this derived class may be presented to a
tt(FBB::Table) or tt(FBB::TableBuf) constructor, to activate the special
handling. 

includefile(include/namespace)

manpagesection(INHERITS FROM)
    -

manpagesection(ENUMERATION)

    The enum tt(ColumnType) defines the following values (see also the
description of the tt(struct HLine), below):
    itemization(
    itb(SKIP)   a section of a row-separating line should remain empty. This
                value is normally not used by applications;
    itb(USE)    a section of a row-separating line should be used (e.g., by
                  writing a (horizontal) line);
    itb(LEFT_FULL) a (horizontal) line should be written over the total width
                of the separator to the left of a series of columns
    itb(RIGHT_FULL) a (horizontal) line should be written over the total width
                of the separator to the right of a series of columns;
    itb(LEFT_MID) a (horizontal) line should be written over the right-half
                part of the width of the separator to the left of a series of
                columns; the left-hand part remains blank;
    itb(RIGHT_MID) a (horizontal) line should be written over the left-half
                part of the width of the separator to the right of a series of
                columns; the right-hand part remains blank;
    )
    The value tt(SKIP) should always be used by itself; remaining values of
the enum may be combined using the binary or (tt(|)) operator.

manpagesection(PUBLIC TYPE)

    itemization(
    itb(struct HLine)
        This struct has the following fields:
        verb(
    size_t d_row;
    size_t d_begin;
    size_t d_end;
    size_t d_type;
        )
    It offers two constructors:
        itemization(
        itb(HLine(size_t row, size_t begin, size_t end))
        itb(HLine(ColumnType type, size_t row, size_t begin, size_t end))
        )
    Objects of type bf(TableSupport::HLine) may be inserted into a
bf(TableSupport) object to indicate section(s) of a horizontal separator
between table rows that should be displayed or skipped. E.g., to specify that
a separator should be written in row 1 between columns 2 up to (not including)
5, extending the separator to the left by half the width of the separator
between columns 1 and 2 and to the right by the full width of the separator
between columns 4 and 5 the following tt(HLine) object should be inserted into
the tt(TableSupport ts) object:
        verb(ts << HLine(LEFT_MID | RIGHT_FULL, 1, 2, 5);)
    Multiple tt(HLine) objects may be inserted into a tt(TableSupport) object,
their ordering is irrelevant. When colum ranges overlap then their
tt(ColumType)s are merged. 
    )

manpagesection(PROTECTED TYPES)

    itemization(
    itb(const_iterator)
        This type is defined in the class's protected
section. bf(TableSupport::const_iterator) is an input-iterator returning
pointers to bf(struct Field) (see below) objects for table columns and column
separators (see below at the tt(begin) and tt(end) members)
    itb(struct Field)
        This type has two data members: tt(width) and tt(type), representing,
respectively, the width and tt(ColumnType) of a column or
separating column. Although column types can be combined when inserting them
using tt(HLine) objects, tt(type) values of tt(Field) objects returned by
tt(TableSupport) members only contain single values (like tt(SKIP) or
tt(LEFT_MID)). 
    )

manpagesection(CONSTRUCTORS)

    The default, copy and move constructors are available.

manpagesection(OVERLOADED OPERATORS)

    itemization(
    itb(TableSupport &operator<<(TableSupport &support, size_t width))
        This operator defines a column-separator of tt(width) space
characters. The argument tt(width) may be zero, in which case no visible
separator is used. The first separator inserted refers to the separator to the
left of the table's leftmost column. Subsequent separators separate subsequent
columns. At most tt(nColumns + 1) separators can sensibly be inserted. 
Additional separators are ignored when a table is inserted into an
tt(ostream). 
    itb(TableSupport &operator<<(TableSupport &support, 
                                                std::string const &sep))
        This operator defines a separator as a piece of text. The string may
be empty, in which case no visible separator is inserted into the table. The
first separator inserted refers to the separator to the left of the table's
leftmost column. Subsequent separators separate subsequent columns. Textual
and numeric separator may be intermixed. At most tt(nColumns + 1) separators
can sensibly be inserted.  Additional separators are ignored when a table is
inserted into an tt(ostream).
    itb(TableSupport &operator<<(TableSupport &support, HLine const &hsep))
        This operator defines how a section of a horizontal separator of a
specified row should be displayed (see the description of tt(ColumnType) in
the tt(ENUMERATION) section).
    )
    The overloaded copy and move assignment operators are available.

manpagesection(PUBLIC MEMBER FUNCTIONS)
    itemization(
    itb(void hline(size_t row) const)
        When inserting a table into a tt(std::ostream) tt(Table) and
tt(TableBuf) objects call this member just before the indicated row (offset)
is inserted into a tt(std::ostream). It calls tt(v_hline), passing it tt(row).
    itb(void hline() const)
        When inserting a table into a tt(std::ostream) tt(Table) and
tt(TableBuf) objects call this member just after inserting the table's final
row. It calls tt(v_hline) without arguments.
    itb(void setParam(std::ostream &ostr, size_t nRows, size_t nColumns,
                        std::vector<Align> const &align))
        This member provides the bf(TableSupport) object with values that are
essential for its proper functioning.  It is called from the tt(Table) and
tt(TableBuf)'s tt(def) member or manipulator.  A tt(TableSupport) object can
be used before that to specify widths and types of separators, though. This
member's parameters are initialized by the tt(Table) and tt(TableBuf) class
objects as follows:nl()
        bf(ostr) is a reference to the bf(std::ostream) into which the table
            will be inserted; nl()
        bf(nRows) specifies  the number of rows used by the table;nl()
        bf(nColumns) specifies  the number of columns if the table;nl()
        bf(align) is a reference to a constant vector of (column) alignment
specifications.
    itb(void vline(size_t col) const)
        When inserting the data elements of the rows of a table into a
tt(std::ostream) tt(Table) and tt(TableBuf) objects call this member just
before inserting the data elements of column tt(col).  Its intended task is to
write a column separator just before the data elements themselves. It calls
tt(v_vline) passing it its tt(col) parameter.
    itb(virtual void vline() const)
        When inserting a table into a tt(std::ostream) tt(Table) and
tt(TableBuf) objects call this member after inserting the data elements of the
rows of the table. It is called at the end of each row. It calls tt(v_vline)
without arguments.
    itb(size_t width() const)
        Returns the total width of the table.
    )

manpagesection(PROTECTED MEMBER FUNCTIONS)
    
    The following members are available to classes derived from
bf(TableSupport). Except for tt(sep) and tt(sepWidth) their values are only
defined after tt(setParam) has been called. This latter function is called
from the tt(def) member or manipulator of tt(Table) or tt(TableBuf) objects. 

    itemization(
    itb(std::vector<Align> const &align() const)
        A reference to a vector of tt(Align) objects, defining the alignments
and widths of the table's columns is returned.
    itb(const_iterator begin(size_t row) const) 
        An iterator returning information about the first column element when
displaying the horizontal separator preceding line tt(row) is returned.  To
obtain the information about the separator beyond the last row tt(nRows())
should be used as its argument.  The `column elements' of the table are its
separators and data columns.

    Dereferencing the returned tt(const_iterator) provides access to a
tt(Field) struct defining the type and width of a column
element. Dereferencing the iterator returned by tt(begin) provides information
about the leftmost column separator. By incrementing the iterator all
subsequent column elements are visited. The iterator's value becomes undefined
once it reaches the value returned by tt(end) (see below).
    itb(size_t colWidth(size_t col) const)
        The width of the indicated column is returned.
    itb(const_iterator end(size_t row) const) 
        An iterator indicating the end of the iterator range starting at
tt(begin(row)) is returned.
    itb(size_t nColumns() const)
        The number of columns of the table is returned.
    itb(size_t nRows() const)
        The number of rows of the table is returned.
    itb(std::ostream &out() const)
        A reference to the stream into which the table is inserted is
returned.
    itb(std::vector<std::string> const &sep())
        A reference to the separators that are defined for the table's columns
is returned. Element tt(col) refers to the separator to the left of the
table column tt(col), element tt(nColumns()) refers to the separator to the
right of the rightmost table column.
    itb(size_t sepWidth(size_t col) const)
        The width of the indicated separator is returned. Element tt(col)
refers to the separator to the left of the table column tt(col), element
tt(nColumns()) refers to the separator to the right of the rightmost table
column.
    )    

manpagesection(VIRTUAL MEMBER FUNCTIONS)

    The following member functions can be overridden by derived classes to
redefine the way horizontal and vertical separators are displayed.
    itemization(
    itb(virtual void v_hline(size_t row) const)
        This member is called from tt(hline(size_t row)), receiving its tt(row)
parameter. Its task is to write a horizonal separator for row tt(row).  By
default nothing is inserted. It may do so by iterating over the range defined
by the tt(begin) and tt(end) members, deciding what to do on the basis of the
tt(Field) objects referred to by the iterators.
    itb(virtual void v_hline() const)
        This member is called from tt(hline()).  Its intended task is to write
a (partial) horizontal line beyond the table's last line of data elements. By
default it calls tt(hline(nRows)).
    itb(virtual void v_vline(size_t col) const)
        This member is called from tt(vline(size_t col)), receiving its
tt(col) parameter. Its task is to write a separator  before data column
tt(col). By default it inserts tt(separator[col]) if if is available. If that
separator is not defined, no action is performed.
    itb(virtual void v_vline() const)
        This member is called from tt(vline()).  Its intended task is to write
a column separator, terminating a line of the table. By default it inserts a
new-line (tt(\n)) character.
    )

manpagesection(EXAMPLE)
    See the example in the bf(table)(3bobcat) man-page.

manpagefiles()
    em(bobcat/tableSupport) - defines the class interface

manpageseealso()
    bf(bobcat)(7), bf(align)(3bobcat), bf(table)(3bobcat), 
    bf(tablebuf)(3bobcat), bf(tablelines)(3bobcat)

manpagebugs()
    None Reported.

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