/*!  \mainpage Quantum GIS - Plugin API
 *
 *  \section about  About QGis Plugins
 * Plugins provide additional functionality to QGis. Plugins must
 * implement several required methods in order to be registered with
 * QGis. These methods include:
 * <ul>name
 * <li>version
 * <li>description
 * </ul>
 *
 * All QGis plugins must inherit from the abstract base class QgisPlugin. A
 * This list will grow as the API is expanded.
 * 
 * In addition, a plugin must implement the classFactory and unload
 * functions. Note that these functions must be declared as extern "C" in
 * order to be resolved properly and prevent C++ name mangling.
 */

#ifndef QGISPLUGIN_H
#define QGISPLUGIN_H


#include <qstring.h>
#include "../src/qgisapp.h"

//#include "qgisplugingui.h"

/*! \class QgisPlugin 
 * \brief Abstract base class from which all plugins must inherit
 *
 */
class QgisPlugin
{
  public:

    //! Interface to gui element collection object
    //virtual QgisPluginGui *gui()=0;
    //! Element types that can be added to the interface
    /* enum ELEMENTS {
       MENU,
       MENU_ITEM,
       TOOLBAR,
       TOOLBAR_BUTTON,
       };

       @todo XXX this may be a hint that there should be subclasses
    */
    typedef enum PLUGINTYPE
        {
            UI,                         /* user interface plug-in */
            MAPLAYER                    /* map layer plug-in */
        };


    QgisPlugin ( QString const & name = "", 
                 QString const & description = "",
                 QString const & version = "",
                 PLUGINTYPE const & type = MAPLAYER )
        : mName(name), 
          mDescription(description),
          mVersion(version),
          mType(type)
        {}

    virtual ~QgisPlugin()
        {}

    //! Get the name of the plugin
    QString const & name() const
        {
            return mName;
        }

    QString       & name() 
        {
            return mName;
        }

    //! Version of the plugin
    QString const & version() const
        {
            return mVersion;
        }

    //! Version of the plugin
    QString       & version() 
        {
            return mVersion;
        }

    //! A brief description of the plugin
    QString const & description() const
        { 
            return mDescription;
        }

    //! A brief description of the plugin
    QString       & description()
        { 
            return mDescription;
        }

    //! Plugin type, either UI or map layer
    QgisPlugin::PLUGINTYPE const & type() const
        {
            return mType;
        }


    //! Plugin type, either UI or map layer
    QgisPlugin::PLUGINTYPE       & type() 
        {
            return mType;
        }

    /// function to initialize connection to GUI
    virtual void initGui() = 0;

    //! Unload the plugin and cleanup the GUI
    virtual void unload() = 0;

  private:

    /// plug-in name
    QString mName;

    /// description
    QString mDescription;

    /// version
    QString mVersion;

    /// UI or MAPLAYER plug-in
    /**
       @todo Really, might be indicative that this needs to split into 
       maplayer vs. ui plug-in vs. other kind of plug-in
    */
    PLUGINTYPE mType;

}; // class QgisPlugin


// Typedefs used by qgis main app

//! Typedef for the function that returns a generic pointer to a plugin object
typedef QgisPlugin *create_t(QgisApp *, QgisInterface *);

//! Typedef for the function to unload a plugin and free its resources
typedef void unload_t(QgisPlugin *);

//! Typedef for getting the name of the plugin without instantiating it
typedef QString name_t();

//! Typedef for getting the description without instantiating the plugin
typedef QString description_t();

//! Typedef for getting the plugin type without instantiating the plugin
typedef int type_t();

//! Typedef for getting the plugin version without instantiating the plugin
typedef QString version_t();


#endif //qgisplugin_h