# FBB::IFilterBuf(3bobcat)

## Filtering Input Stream Buffer
(libbobcat-dev_6.11.00)

## 2005-2025

## NAME

FBB::IFilterBuf - Filtering stream buffer initialized by a std::istream object

## SYNOPSIS

#include <bobcat/ifilterbuf>
Linking option: -lbobcat

## DESCRIPTION

FBB::IFilterBuf objects may be used as a std::streambuf for std::istream objects, filtering the information produced by those objects.

Because IFilterBuf is a streambuf its member underflow is automatically called when reading operations are requested from the stream object using the IFilterBuf as its streambuf. If no chars are currently available (i.e., srcBegin == srcEnd, see the description of the filter member below), then filter is called, which may store characters in a (local) buffer of at most maxSize characters (see the description of the IFilterBuf constructor below). Once this buffer has been filled filter updates the *srcBegin and *srcEnd pointers so that they point to, respectively, the the location of the first character in the local buffer and beyond the location of the last character in the local buffer.

The class IFilterBuf was designed with the openSSL BIO (cf. bio(3ssl)) in mind. Since the BIO concept was developed in the context of the C programming language, BIOs do not support C++ streams. Nonetheless, the concept of a filtering device is an attractive one, and is offered by the FBB::IFilterBuf class.

In addition to filtering, IFilterBuf offers flexible internal buffer management: derived classes can put characters back on the internal buffer until the beginning of the buffer has been reached, but may then continue pushing characters on the buffer until the buffer has reached its maximum size. This maximum size is defined by the constructor's maxSize parameter (see below).

The class IFilterBuf is an abstract base class. It is used via classes that are derived from IFilterBuf, implementing its pure virtual load member (see below at PRIVATE VIRTUAL MEMBER FUNCTIONS).

## NAMESPACE

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

## INHERITS FROM

std::streambuf

## MEMBER FUNCTIONS

All members of std::streambuf are available, as IFilterBuf inherits from this class.

## PROTECTED CONSTRUCTOR

- IFilterBuf(size_t maxSize = 1000):
  This constructor initializes the streambuf. While the streambuf is being used, its internally used buffer is gradually filled. It may be filled with up to maxSize characters, but the actual number of characters that is stored in the buffer is determined by the member filter (see below) and by using the member streambuf::sputbackc.

Copy and move constructors (and assignment operators) are not available.

## PROTECTED MEMBER FUNCTION

- void setBuffer():
  This member initializes the base class's buffer pointers (i.e., eback, gptr, and egptr) with the initial range of characters retrieved by filter (see below).

  Derived classes do not have to call this member, but if they do they should only call setBuffer once from their constructors. Once setBuffer has been called, the peek member of the std::istream that is available to IFilterBuf objects can be called to inspect the next available character, even if no other stream operation has as yet been performed. If it is not called by the derived class's constructor, then peek returns 0 until at least one character has been retrieved from the istream object.

## PRIVATE VIRTUAL MEMBER FUNCTIONS

- virtual bool filter(char const **srcBegin, char const **srcEnd) = 0:
  The filter member is declared as a pure virtual member: derived classes must override filter with their own implementation.

  Derived class objects are responsible for obtaining information (in any amount) from the device with which they interact. This information is then passed on to the IFilterBuf via two pointers, pointing, respectively, to the first available character and beyond the last available character. The characters indicated by this range are subsequently transferred by the IFilterBuf object to its own buffer, from where they are then retrieved (or to where they can be pushed back) by the application.

  The filter member allows implementations to filter and/or modify the information that is obtained by this member. The EXAMPLE section below provides an example filtering out a configurable set of characters from a provided std::istream. Bobcat's classes ISymCryptStreambuf(3bobcat) and IBase64Buf(3bobcat) provide additional examples of classes derived from IFilterBuf.

  The filter member should return false if no (more) information is available. It should return true if information is available, in which case *srcBegin and *srcEnd should be pointing to, respectively, the first character and beyond the last character made available by filter;

- int pbackfail(int ch) override:
  If IFilterBuf's internally used buffer has reached its maximmum size then EOF is returned. Otherwise, ch is inserted at the beginning of the internally used buffer, becoming the next character that's retrieved from the object's buffer;

- std::streamsize showmanyc() override:
  The sum of the number of not yet processed characters in the internally used buffer and the number of not yet processed characters returned by the latest filter call is returned;

- int underflow() override:
  Once the internally used buffer is empty filter is called to obtain a new series of filtered characters. If filter returns false underflow returns EOF. Otherwise the series of characters returned by filter are transferred to the IFilterBuf's internal buffer to be processed by the std::istream that's initialized with the IFilterBuf object.

## EXAMPLE

Here is a class, derived from IFilterBuf, filtering out a predefined set of characters. It is used twice to filter digits and vowels, illustrating chaining of IFilterBuf objects.

    #include <iostream>
    #include <fstream>
    #include <istream>
    #include <string>

    #include <bobcat/ifilterbuf>

    using namespace std;
    using namespace FBB;

    class CharFilterStreambuf: public IFilterBuf
    {
        istream &d_in;         // stream to read from
        string d_rmChars;      // chars to rm
        string d_buffer;       // locally buffered chars
        size_t const d_maxSize = 100;

        public:
            CharFilterStreambuf(istream &in, string const &rmChars);

        private:
            bool filter(char const **srcBegin,
                        char const **srcEnd) override;
    };

    CharFilterStreambuf::CharFilterStreambuf(istream &in,
                                             string const &rmChars)
    :
        d_in(in),
        d_rmChars(rmChars)
    {
        setBuffer();        // required if peek() must return the 1st
    }                       // available character right from the start

    bool CharFilterStreambuf::filter(char const **srcBegin,
                                     char const **srcEnd)
    {
        d_buffer.clear();

        while (d_buffer.size() != d_maxSize)
        {
            char ch;
            if (not d_in.get(ch))
                break;
            if (d_rmChars.find(ch) != string::npos) // found char to rm
                continue;
            d_buffer.push_back(ch);
        }

        if (d_buffer.empty())
            return false;

        *srcBegin = d_buffer.data();
        *srcEnd = d_buffer.data() + d_buffer.size();

        return true;
    }

    int main(int argc, char **argv)
    {
        if (argc == 1)
        {
            cout << "arg[1]: file to process, arg[2]: processed file\n";
            return 0;
        }

        ifstream in{ argv[1] };
        CharFilterStreambuf buf1(in, "1234567890");
        istream in1(&buf1);

        CharFilterStreambuf buf2(in1, "AEIOUaeiou");
        istream in2(&buf2);

        ofstream out{ argv[2] };
        out << in2.rdbuf();
    }

## FILES

bobcat/ifdbuf - defines the class interface

## SEE ALSO

bobcat(7), isymcryptstreambuf(3bobcat), ibase64buf(3bobcat), ofilterbuf(3bobcat). std::streambuf

## 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).