Ticket #32: Instantiator.h

#ifndef INSTANTIATOR_H_
#define INSTANTIATOR_H_

namespace Mantid {
/** @class Instantiator Instantiator.h Kernel/Instantiator.h

    The instantiator is a generic clss for creating objects of the template type.

    @author Nick Draper, Tessella Support Services plc
    @date 10/10/2007
    
    Copyright © 2007 ???RAL???

    This file is part of Mantid.

    Mantid is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
    it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
    the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
    (at your option) any later version.

    Mantid is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
    GNU General Public License for more details.

    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
    along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

    File change history is stored at: <https://svn.mantidproject.org/mantid/trunk/Code/Mantid>    
*/
template <class Base>
class AbstractInstantiator
        /// The common base class for all Instantiator instantiations.
        /// Used by DynamicFactory.
{
public:
        AbstractInstantiator()
                /// Creates the AbstractInstantiator.
        {
        }
        
        virtual ~AbstractInstantiator()
                /// Destroys the AbstractInstantiator.
        {
        }
        
        virtual Base* createInstance() const = 0;
                /// Creates an instance of a concrete subclass of Base. 

private:
        AbstractInstantiator(const AbstractInstantiator&);
        AbstractInstantiator& operator = (const AbstractInstantiator&);
};


template <class C, class Base>
class Instantiator: public AbstractInstantiator<Base>
        /// A template class for the easy instantiation of 
        /// instantiators. 
        ///
        /// For the Instantiator to work, the class of which
        /// instances are to be instantiated must have a no-argument
        /// constructor.
{
public:
        Instantiator()
                /// Creates the Instantiator.
        {
        }
        
        virtual ~Instantiator()
                /// Destroys the Instantiator.
        {
        }

        Base* createInstance() const
        {
                return new C;
        }
};


}


#endif // INSTANTIATOR_H_