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Generic Observer Pattern and Events in C++

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5 Apr 20044 min read 178.2K   2.1K   69  
Efficient and generic way to implement Events in C++. Easy and intuitive way to connect an event to any member function of any class with no limitations.
#ifndef CPP_EVENT_HEADER
#define CPP_EVENT_HEADER

#include <map>

typedef  int CppEventHandler;

template <typename ReturnT,typename ParamT>
class EventHandlerBase1
{
public:
	virtual ReturnT notify(ParamT param) = 0;
};

template <typename ListenerT,typename ReturnT,typename ParamT>
class EventHandler1 : public EventHandlerBase1<ReturnT,ParamT>
{
	typedef ReturnT (ListenerT::*PtrMember)(ParamT);
	ListenerT* m_object;
	PtrMember m_member;
	
public:

	EventHandler1(ListenerT* object, PtrMember member)
		: m_object(object), m_member(member)
	{}

	ReturnT notify(ParamT param)
	{
		return (m_object->*m_member)(param);		
	}	
};

template <typename ReturnT,typename ParamT>
class CppEvent1
{
	typedef std::map<int,EventHandlerBase1<ReturnT,ParamT> *> HandlersMap;
	HandlersMap m_handlers;
	int m_count;

public:


	CppEvent1()
		: m_count(0) {}

	template <typename ListenerT>
	CppEventHandler attach(ListenerT* object,ReturnT (ListenerT::*member)(ParamT))
	{
		typedef ReturnT (ListenerT::*PtrMember)(ParamT);	
		m_handlers[m_count] = (new EventHandler1<ListenerT,ReturnT,ParamT>(object,member));
		m_count++;	
		return m_count-1;
	}

	bool detach(CppEventHandler id)
	{
		HandlersMap::iterator it = m_handlers.find(id);

		if(it == m_handlers.end())
			return false;
		
		delete it->second;
		m_handlers.erase(it);				
		return true;
	}

	ReturnT notify(ParamT param)
	{
		HandlersMap::iterator it = m_handlers.begin();
		for(; it != m_handlers.end(); it++)
		{
			it->second->notify(param);
		}

		return true;
	}
};

// do the same for delegates with 2 parameters
template <typename ReturnT,typename ParamT,typename ParamT1>
class EventHandlerBase2
{
public:
	virtual ReturnT notify(ParamT param,ParamT1 param1) = 0;
};

template <typename ListenerT,typename ReturnT,typename ParamT,typename ParamT1>
class EventHandler2 : public EventHandlerBase2<ReturnT, ParamT, ParamT1>
{
	typedef ReturnT (ListenerT::*PtrMember)(ParamT,ParamT1);
	ListenerT* m_object;
	PtrMember m_member;
	
public:

	EventHandler2(ListenerT* object, PtrMember member)
		: m_object(object), m_member(member)
	{}

	ReturnT notify(ParamT param,ParamT1 param1)
	{
		return (m_object->*m_member)(param,param1);		
	}	
};

template <typename ReturnT,typename ParamT,typename ParamT1>
class CppEvent2
{
	typedef std::map<int,EventHandlerBase2<ReturnT,ParamT,ParamT1> *> HandlersMap;
	HandlersMap m_handlers;
	int m_count;

public:

	
	CppEvent2()
		: m_count(0) {}

	template <typename ListenerT>
	CppEventHandler attach(ListenerT* object,ReturnT (ListenerT::*member)(ParamT,ParamT1))
	{
		typedef ReturnT (ListenerT::*PtrMember)(ParamT,ParamT1);	
		m_handlers[m_count] = (new EventHandler2<ListenerT,ReturnT,ParamT,ParamT1>(object,member));
		m_count++;	
		return m_count-1;
	}

	bool detach(CppEventHandler id)
	{
		HandlersMap::iterator it = m_handlers.find(id);

		if(it == m_handlers.end())
			return false;
		
		delete it->second;
		m_handlers.erase(it);
		return true;
	}

	ReturnT notify(ParamT param,ParamT1 param1)
	{
		HandlersMap::iterator it = m_handlers.begin();
		for(; it != m_handlers.end(); it++)
		{
			it->second->notify(param,param1);
		}

		return true;
	}
};

// do the same for delegates with 3 parameters
template <typename ReturnT,typename ParamT,typename ParamT1,typename ParamT2>
class EventHandlerBase3
{
public:
	virtual ReturnT notify(ParamT param,ParamT1 param1,ParamT2 param2) = 0;
};

template <typename ListenerT,typename ReturnT,typename ParamT,typename ParamT1,typename ParamT2>
class EventHandler3 : public EventHandlerBase3<ReturnT,ParamT,ParamT1,ParamT2>
{
	typedef ReturnT (ListenerT::*PtrMember)(ParamT,ParamT1,ParamT2);
	ListenerT* m_object;
	PtrMember m_member;
	
public:

	EventHandler3(ListenerT* object, PtrMember member)
		: m_object(object), m_member(member)
	{}

	ReturnT notify(ParamT param,ParamT1 param1,ParamT2 param2)
	{
		return (m_object->*m_member)(param,param1,param2);		
	}	
};

template <typename ReturnT,typename ParamT,typename ParamT1,typename ParamT2>
class CppEvent3
{
	typedef std::map<int,EventHandlerBase3<ReturnT,ParamT,ParamT1,ParamT2> *> HandlersMap;
	HandlersMap m_handlers;
	int m_count;

public:

	
	CppEvent3()
		: m_count(0) {}

	template <typename ListenerT>
	CppEventHandler attach(ListenerT* object,ReturnT (ListenerT::*member)(ParamT,ParamT1,ParamT2))
	{
		typedef ReturnT (ListenerT::*PtrMember)(ParamT,ParamT1,ParamT2);	
		m_handlers[m_count] = (new EventHandler3<ListenerT,ReturnT,ParamT,ParamT1,ParamT2>(object,member));
		m_count++;	
		return m_count-1;
	}

	bool detach(CppEventHandler id)
	{
		HandlersMap::iterator it = m_handlers.find(id);

		if(it == m_handlers.end())
			return false;
		
		delete it->second;
		m_handlers.erase(it);
		return true;
	}

	ReturnT notify(ParamT param,ParamT1 param1,ParamT2 param2)
	{
		HandlersMap::iterator it = m_handlers.begin();
		for(; it != m_handlers.end(); it++)
		{
			it->second->notify(param,param1,param2);
		}

		return true;
	}
};

#endif

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Written By
Web Developer
Canada Canada
Baranovsky Eduard has been a software developer for more then 10 years. He has an experence in image processing, computer graphics and distributed systems design.

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