Collections can have sources for loading objects on demand. Automatic loading
only works on a non-const Collection. See class CollectionSource for details.
-A fallback collection can be designated as another way of loading items that
-are not present. Items retrieted from the fallback collection are shared
+As a last resort, a fallback collection can be designated for loading items
+that are not present. Items retrieted from the fallback collection are shared
between the collections, and are only deleted when all collections in the chain
have been destroyed.
*/
CollectionItemTypeBase *get_type_for_item(const Variant &) const;
protected:
+ /** Adds a source for automatically loading items. Sources are consulted
+ in the order they are added. */
void add_source(CollectionSource &);
+ /** Opens a raw resource, without interpreting it as object data. Null is
+ returned if no such file is found. The caller must dispose of the returned
+ object when done with it. */
IO::Seekable *open_from_sources(const std::string &);
private:
public:
virtual ~CollectionSource() { }
- /** Determines */
+ /// Determines whether an object is available from this source.
virtual bool is_loadable(const CollectionItemTypeBase &type, const std::string &name) const = 0;
- /** Returns the names of loadable objects of a specific type. Implementors
- should use the keyword and/or suffixes of the type to */
+ /** Returns the names of available objects of a specific type. Implementors
+ should use type.match_name to check which names are acceptable. */
virtual NameList get_names(const CollectionItemTypeBase &type) const = 0;
+ /// Loads an item into a collection.
virtual void load(Collection &, const CollectionItemTypeBase &, const std::string &) const = 0;
- /** Opens a file from the source. The caller is responsible for deleting
- the returned object when done with it. */
+ /** Opens a raw resource. The caller is responsible for deleting the
+ returned object when done with it. */
virtual IO::Seekable *open(const std::string &) const = 0;
};