# FBB::ReadLineHistory(3bobcat)

## Editing input lines
(libbobcat-dev_6.07.01)

## 2005-2025

## NAME

FBB::ReadLineHistory - std::streambuf offering line-editing and history

## SYNOPSIS

#include <bobcat/readlinebuf>
Linking option: -lbobcat -lreadline

## DESCRIPTION

The FBB::ReadLineHistory object offers access to the history maintained by FBB::ReadLineBuf and ReadLineStream objects.

The latter two classes use Gnu's readline library to allow editing of input lines. The accumulated history of these objects can be accessed from the ReadLineHistory object.

Since Gnu's readline library maintains global data there can only be one history. The ReadLineHistory class is therefore, like ReadLineBuf a singleton. (Gnu's readline library does, however, offer functions allowing programs to use multiple histories. So it would in principle be possible to design a non-singleton ReadLineHistory class. Since programs normally only interact with a single terminal, there is probably little use for non-singleton ReadLineHistory class).

The ReadLineHistory class encapsulates history access. It offers limited facilities: either forward or backward iterations over the history are offered as well as reading and writing the history from/to streams. When reading the history from a stream it replaces the currently available lines in Gnu's readline history. The content of the history lines and --if defined-- the timestamps of the lines in the history can be obtained using iterators defined by ReadLineHistory.

## NAMESPACE

FBB
All constructors, members, operators and manipulators, mentioned in this man-page, are defined in the namespace FBB.

## INHERITS FROM

-

## NESTED TYPES

The class ReadLineHistory defines the following nested types:

HistoryElement

The iterators made available by the ReadLineHistory object provide access to a HistoryElement object. These objects can be copied and assigned to each other, but user programs cannot otherwise construct HistoryElement objects.

The class HistoryElement has but two members:

- char const *line() const returns the content of the history line to which a ReadLineHistory iterator refers;
- char const *timestamp() const returns the timestamp (if defined) of the history line to which a ReadLineHistory iterator refers;

const_iterator and const_reverse_iterator

The iterators returned by members of the class ReadLineHistory are input iterators, pointing to HistoryElement objects. As they are input iterators modification of the history elements to which they refer is not allowed.

The class const_iterator allows iterations from the first to the last history element, the class const_reverse_iterator allows iterations from the last back to the first history element.

The iterators can be incremented, compared for (in)equality and offer operator* and operator-> members, offering access to, respectively, HistoryElement objects and their addresses.

## CONSTRUCTORS

As the class ReadLineHistory is a singleton class, there are no publicly available constructors, nor are assignment operators available.

## STATIC MEMBER FUNCTIONS

- ReadLineHistory &instance():
  A reference to the ReadLineHistory object is returned. If any history has been accumulated it can immediately be retrieved. Using this static member will not affect the way the ReadLineHistory object handles timestamps when saving or retrieving history lines. When initially constructed the ReadLineHistory object assumes that timestamps are not used.
- ReadLineHistory &instance(bool useTimestamps):
  A reference to the ReadLineHistory object is returned. If any history has been accumulated it can immediately be retrieved. The useTimestamps parameter defines the way history lines are read from or written to a stream. When specifying true the history inserted into a stream will include timestamps (which may be empty if no timestamps were recorded). Likewise, when extracting the history timestamps are extracted too (which may also be empty). When specifying false no timestamps are read or written. A mismatch between the actual content of the stream from which the history is extracted and the useTimestamps parameter will results in unexpected behavior.

## MEMBER FUNCTIONS

- ReadLineHistory::const_iterator begin() const:
  An input iterator pointing to the first history line is returned.
- ReadLineHistory::const_iterator end() const:
  An input iterator pointing beyond the last history line is returned.
- size_t maxSize() const:
  The maximum number of lines that can be stored in the history is returned. After collecting a history of maxSize lines, the next line entered will cause the initial history line to be removed from the history, making room for the next line to be added at the end of the history.
- ReadLineHistory::const_reverse_iterator rbegin() const:
  An input iterator pointing to the last history line is returned. Incrementing this iterator will access the previous line in the history.
- ReadLineHistory::const_reverse_iterator rend() const:
  An input iterator pointing before the first history line is returned.
- ReadLineHistory &setTimestamps(bool useTimestamps):
  xThe current status of the timestamps usage is set according to the value of its parameter. When true inserting and extracting history will include the timestamps. No timestamps are inserted or extracted when false. It returns a reference to the updated ReadLineHistory object, allowing constructions like (assuming the availability of ReadLineHistory &history):

          cout << history.setTimestamps(true);

- size_t size() const:
  The number of lines currently stored in the history is returned.
- bool timestamps() const:
  The current status of the timestamps usage is returned. When returning true inserting and extracting history will include the timestamps. No timestamps are inserted or extracted when this member returns false

## OVERLOADED OPERATORS

- std::istream &operator>>(std::istream &in, ReadLineHistory &his):
  The history available at the in stream is extracted to become the current history, replacing the existing (Gnu readline) history by the history read from in. The useTimestamp status determines whether timestams are extracted (if true) or not (if false). If extracting the history from in fails an exception is thrown.
- std::ostream &operator<<(std::ostream &out, ReadLineHistory &his):
  The current history is written to the out stream. The useTimestamp status determines whether timestams are inserted (if true) or not (if false).

## EXAMPLE

    #include <iostream>
    #include <algorithm>
    #include <fstream>

    #include <bobcat/datetime>
    #include <bobcat/readlinestream>
    #include <bobcat/readlinehistory>

    using namespace std;
    using namespace FBB;

    void showHis(ReadLineHistory::HistoryElement const &element)
    {
        cout << element.timestamp() << " " << element.line() << '\n';
    }

    string timestamp()
    {
        return DateTime().rfc2822();
    };

    int main(int argc, char **argv)
    {
        ReadLineStream in("? ", ReadLineBuf::EXPAND_HISTORY);
        in.useTimestamps(&timestamp);

        cout << "Enter some lines, end the input using ctrl-d\n";
        string line;
        while (getline(in, line))
            ;
                                                // argument means: write/read
                                                // history timestamps
        ReadLineHistory &history = ReadLineHistory::instance(argc > 1);

        cout << "All lines, from the first to the last:\n";
        for_each(history.begin(), history.end(), showHis);

        cout << "\n"
                "Again: all lines, from the first to the last:\n";
        for_each(history.begin(), history.end(), showHis);

        cout << "\n"
                "All lines, from the last to the first:\n";
        for_each(history.rbegin(), history.rend(), showHis);

        cout << "\n"
                "History out and in:\n"
                "\n";

        ofstream hisout("history.out");

        hisout << history;

        hisout.close();

        ifstream hisin("history.out");
        hisin >> history;

        cout << "All lines, from the first to the last:\n";
        for_each(history.begin(), history.end(), showHis);

        cout << "\n"
                "All lines, from the last to the first:\n";
        for_each(history.rbegin(), history.rend(), showHis);

    }

## FILES

bobcat/readlinehistory - defines the class interface

## SEE ALSO

bobcat(7), readline(3), readlinebuf(3bobcat), readlinestream(3bobcat)

## BUGS

None Reported.

## BOBCAT PROJECT FILES

- https://fbb-git.gitlab.io/bobcat/: gitlab project page;

Debian Bobcat project files:

- libbobcat6: debian package containing the shared library, changelog and copyright note;
- libbobcat-dev: debian package containing the static library, headers, manual pages, and developer info;

## BOBCAT

Bobcat is an acronym of `Brokken's Own Base Classes And Templates'.

## COPYRIGHT

This is free software, distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL).

## AUTHOR

Frank B. Brokken (f.b.brokken@rug.nl).