//
// File   : InifileChain.hh
//
// Purpose: Declaration of the class InifileChain
//
// $Id: InifileChain.hh 8758 2010-09-27 12:16:24Z mathes $
//



/** @file InifileChain.hh
  * Declaration of the class InifileChain.
  * @author H.-J. Mathes, FzK
  */


#ifndef _FdUtil_InifileChain_hh_
#define _FdUtil_InifileChain_hh_

#include <list>
#include <string>

#ifndef NO_VERSION
# include <FdUtilVersion.hh>
#endif // NO_VERSION

#include <Inifile.hh>

namespace FdUtil {

/** This class implements a chain of Inifiles.
  *
  * The interface of Inifile is partly re-implemented. A chained Inifile has the
  * behaviour of several Inifiles where a group might be searched for in
  * different files. The search order is the order in which the files are
  * registered
  */
class InifileChain : public FdUtil::Inifile {
public:
    /** Constructor for the class InifileChain. */
    InifileChain(const char *);
    
    //InifileChain(const char **);
    //InifileChain(const char *,...);
    
    /** Constructor of the class InifileChain from Inifile. */
    InifileChain(Inifile&);
    
    /** Destructor of the class InifileChain. */
    virtual ~InifileChain();
    
    /** Add a new filename to the list of ini-files.
      *
      * Before adding the filename the following things are checked:
      * @li the filename mustn't be empty
      * @li the filename mustn't exist already in the list
      * @li the file must exist
      *
      * @return kFAIL if any error occurs, kSUCCESS else.
      */
    virtual int AddInifile(const char *);
    
    /** Specify the group ['group'] from where to read next. 
      *
      * The corresponding method of the class Inifile is overwritten. The 
      * list of files is opened subsequently and parsed for the specified 
      * group until the group is found or the end of the list is reached.
      */
    int SpecifyGroup(const char *group);
    
protected:
    /**
      */
    std::list<std::string>  fFiles;
    
private:
    // these ones are not allowed
    InifileChain();
    InifileChain(const InifileChain&);
    InifileChain& operator=(const InifileChain&);
};

} // namespace FdUtil

#endif  // _FdUtil_InifileChain_hh_