- /** Extend an Extensible class.
- *
- * @param key The key parameter is an arbitary string which identifies the extension data
- * @param p This parameter is a pointer to any data you wish to associate with the object
- *
- * You must provide a key to store the data as, and a void* to the data (typedef VoidPointer)
- * The data will be inserted into the map. If the data already exists, you may not insert it
- * twice, Extensible::Extend will return false in this case.
- *
- * @return Returns true on success, false if otherwise
- */
- template<typename T> bool Extend(const std::string &key, T* p)
+/** The base class for inspircd classes that support reference counting.
+ * Any objects that do not have a well-defined lifetime should inherit from
+ * this, and should be assigned to a reference<type> object to establish their
+ * lifetime.
+ *
+ * Reference objects should not hold circular references back to themselves,
+ * even indirectly; this will cause a memory leak because the count will never
+ * drop to zero.
+ *
+ * Using a normal pointer for the object is recommended if you can assure that
+ * at least one reference<> will remain as long as that pointer is used; this
+ * will avoid the slight overhead of changing the reference count.
+ */
+class CoreExport refcountbase
+{
+ mutable unsigned int refcount;
+ public:
+ refcountbase();
+ virtual ~refcountbase();
+ inline unsigned int GetReferenceCount() const { return refcount; }
+ friend class reference_base;
+ void* operator new(size_t);
+ void operator delete(void*);
+ private:
+ // uncopyable
+ refcountbase(const refcountbase&);
+ void operator=(const refcountbase&);
+};
+
+class CoreExport reference_base
+{
+ protected:
+ template<typename T> static inline unsigned int inc(T* v) { return ++(v->refcount); }
+ template<typename T> static inline unsigned int dec(T* v) { return --(v->refcount); }
+
+};
+
+template <typename T>
+class reference : public reference_base
+{
+ T* value;
+ public:
+ reference() : value(0) { }
+ reference(T* v) : value(v) { if (value) inc(value); }
+ reference(const reference<T>& v) : value(v.value) { if (value) inc(value); }
+ reference<T>& operator=(const reference<T>& other)