Named Objects in C++

Named Objects in C++

So I have been thinking about how to manage multiple objects without having to store their references/addresses in an array or map (or something even more annoying). What I wanted to do is just create an object (and assign it a name) anywhere in memory and when I need to look it up, I just use its name to find it. But how do I do that: the name of the game is "native c++ events" kaboom.

I have written a short example code below. In it, I create an event inside of some sort of master object, which is defined globally. Your can query a name by raising this event, provoking it to call the handlers in every hooked object. If the object is found, the handler will place its object address in a given pointer:

class GlobalEventClass //this object will host our event
{

public:
  //
  // the event that we are going to use to query our object names
  //
  __event void GetObjectByName( __in const char* _cpName, __out void** _pDest );

}Parent;


class Child //any random receiver class
{
private:

  //
  // Each object has to carry its own name (can be anything)
  //
  const char* cpObjectName;

public:

  ~Child()
  {
      __unhook( &GlobalEventClass::GetObjectByName, Parent, &Child::cpObjectName, this );
  }

  Child( __in const char* _cpMyName )
     : cpObjectName( _cpMyName ) // we store the pointer to our assigned name
  {
     //
     // now we need to hook the created instance to the event source
     //
      __hook( &GlobalEventClass::GetObjectByName, Parent, 
              &Child::cpObjectName, this );
  }

  //
  // the next function is called in every object when the event (above) 'interrupts'
  //

  void NameQueryHandler( __in const char* _cpName, __out void** _pDest )
  {
      // excuse me my c-c++ scramble
      if( strstr( cpObjectName, _cpName ) != nullptr )
      {
          //
          // we now know that this object is the object that is being searched for
          // so we fill the pointer we were given in the parameter list with our address
          //
          *_pDest = (void*) this;
      }
  }

}; //Child

Child* GetChildByName( __in const char* _cpObjectName )
{
    Child* X = nullptr;
    __raise Parent.GetObjectByName( _cpObjectName ,(void**) &X);
    return X;
}

int main( void ) // for example...
{
    Child   Who("Bobby"),Needs("Danny"), *Labels = 
                     new Child("Jamal");
    //
    // lets find Jamal, okay?
    //
    Child*  Jamal = GetChildByName("Jamal");
    return true;
}

Now I can use any object from anywhere, without having to store its address. I figured this concept would be somewhat useful when you manage different containers, user/client info for example.

The reason why I put this here is because, earlier I was searching Google for hours to find a good implementation for this, hoping there would be a trick to it. Unfortunately without any results, so I had to figure something out by myself (quick! someone pat me on the back!). Well, have fun then...

Thanks.