/*=========================================================================
 *
 *  Copyright Insight Software Consortium
 *
 *  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 *  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 *  You may obtain a copy of the License at
 *
 *         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.txt
 *
 *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 *  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 *  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 *  limitations under the License.
 *
 *=========================================================================*/
#ifndef __itkImageContainerInterface_h
#define __itkImageContainerInterface_h

#include "itkObject.h"

namespace itk
{
/** \class ImageContainerInterface
 *  \brief Used for reference when writing containers conforming to
 *         this interface.
 *
 * This should only be used for reference when writing containers
 * conforming to this interface.  ITK uses generic programming to
 * allow container type substitution, so polymorphism is not needed to
 * use containers through this interface.  This means that a container
 * conforming to this interface need not be derived from it, and that
 * their methods should not be virtual.  However, the container must
 * derive from Object in order to support the reference counting,
 * modification time, and debug information required by this
 * interface.
 *
 * Note that many comments refer to a "default element" or "default element
 * value".  This value is equal to the default constructor of the
 * Element type.  Also note that all non-const methods assume that the
 * container was modified, and update the modification time.
 *
 * \tparam TElementIdentifier A type that shall be used to index the
 * container. It must have a < operator defined for ordering.
 *
 * \tparam TElement The element type stored in the container.
 *
 * \ingroup ImageObjects
 * \ingroup ITKCommon
 */
template< typename TElementIdentifier, typename TElement >
class ImageContainerInterface:public Object
{
public:
  /** Standard class typedefs. */
  typedef ImageContainerInterface    Self;
  typedef Object                     Superclass;
  typedef SmartPointer< Self >       Pointer;
  typedef SmartPointer< const Self > ConstPointer;

  /** Standard part of every itk Object. */
  itkTypeMacro(ImageContainerInterface, Object);

  /** Save the template parameters. */
  typedef TElementIdentifier ElementIdentifier;
  typedef TElement           Element;

  /** Index operator. This version can be an lvalue. */
  virtual TElement & operator[](const ElementIdentifier) = 0;

  /** Index operator. This version can only be an rvalue */
  virtual const TElement & operator[](const ElementIdentifier) const = 0;

  /** Return a pointer to the beginning of the buffer.  This is used by
   * the image iterator class. */
  virtual TElement * GetBufferPointer() = 0;

  /** Get the number of elements currently stored in the container. */
  virtual ElementIdentifier Size(void) const = 0;

  /** Tell the container to allocate enough memory to allow at least
   * as many elements as the size given to be stored.  This is NOT
   * guaranteed to actually allocate any memory, but is useful if the
   * implementation of the container allocates contiguous storage. */
  virtual void Reserve(ElementIdentifier) = 0;

  /** Tell the container to try to minimize its memory usage for storage of
   * the current number of elements.  This is NOT guaranteed to decrease
   * memory usage. */
  virtual void Squeeze(void) = 0;
};
} // end namespace itk

#endif
