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UI Class Reference

#include <UI.h>

Inheritance diagram for UI:

List of all members.

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Detailed Description

This class implements the user interface. It allows the user to start and stop the clustering using the input buttons of the EyeBot controller.

Author:

Jia L. Du

Public Member Functions
	UI (char *name, int stackSize, int priority, int id)
bool	spawn ()
void	initialize (void)
Protected Member Functions
void	run (void)
Static Protected Member Functions
void	staticRun (void)
Private Attributes
int	state
Keyboard	keyboard
LCD	lcd
Starter	starter
Static Private Attributes
UI *	mes [NUMBER_OF_ROBOTS]
const int	READY = 0
const int	RUNNING = 1

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Constructor & Destructor Documentation

UI::UI (  char *    name, int    stackSize, int    priority, int    id )

Constructor for UI. The parameters are passed to the Thread constructor Parameters: name  pointer to thread name stackSize  size of thread stack priority  thread priority (valid values are: MIN_ PRI to MAX_PRI) id  a unique thread id

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Member Function Documentation

void UI::initialize (  void    )

The simulator does not allow the usage of RoBIOS functions in class constructors. Therefore we use public initialize methods for classes that need RoBIOS functions for their initializations.

void UI::run (  void    )  [protected]

The method is overwritten by the inheritor. When the thread starts the code in this run method is executed Reimplemented from Thread.

bool UI::spawn (    )

According to C++ convention, methods cannot be static and virtual at once. In the initial design run was declared as virtual which results in dynamic binding. That means the program determines at run-time which run method to use, the one of the Thread base class or the one of the inheritor. Because we have to use staticRun, we cannot use the virtual keyword anymore. Without the virtual keyword the compiler determines at compile-time which run method is used, always the run method of the Thread base class. To ensure that the inheritor indeed uses its own run method, it is necessary to overwrite the thread initialization method (spawn) as well. See also: staticRun Returns: true if successful Reimplemented from Thread.

void UI::staticRun (  void    )  [static, protected]

Static wrapper method for run. It does nothing but to call run. That is necessary because the RoBIOS multi-tasking functions expect a pointer to a C-function (not a pointer to a C++ method) containing the code to be executed. Fortunately, pointer-to-static-C++-methods are compatible with regular pointer-to-C-functions. But the problem is that static methods can only use other static methods and variables. The reasons is that a static method, which is shared by all instances, would not know which non-static method or variable to use if there were multiple instances of the same class. Thus, the static property would have to be applied to all used (sub-)methods and (sub-) variables, and propagate through the whole class structure. By using staticRun, we can keep using our non-static run. If static methods cannot call non-static ones, how can staticRun call run? As aforementioned the reason why static method cannot use non-static members is because it is not clear which non-static member to use if there are multiple instances of the same class. That means staticRun needs a pointer to the instance whose run method is to be called. This pointer is stored in a static member variable called me. See also: me

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Member Data Documentation

Keyboard UI::keyboard [private]

The UI uses the Keyboard to receive user input

LCD UI::lcd [private]

The UI uses the LCD to display output for the user

UI * UI::mes [static, private]

Stores pointers to instances of UI See also: staticRun

const int UI::READY = 0 [static, private]

Used by the class to keep track of its own state

const int UI::RUNNING = 1 [static, private]

Used by the class to keep track of its own state

Starter UI::starter [private]

The UI uses the Starter to control the clustering algorithm

int UI::state [private]

Used by the class to keep track of its current state. Possible states are UI::READY, UI::RUNNING

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