Unique identifiers

#include <libcork/core.h>

The functions in this section let you define compile-time unique identifiers. These identifiers are simple C variables, and each one is guaranteed to be unique within the context of a single execution of your program. They are not appropriate for use as external identifiers — for instance, for serializing into long-term storage or sending via a communications channel to another process.

cork_uid

A unique identifier.

cork_uid CORK_UID_NONE

A unique identifier value that means “no identifier”. This is guaranteed to be distinct from all other unique identifiers. It is invalid to call cork_uid_hash(), cork_uid_id(), or cork_uid_name() on this identifier.

cork_uid_define(SYMBOL id)

cork_uid_define_named(SYMBOL id, const char *name)

You use the cork_uid_define() macro to define a new unique identifier with the given C identifier id. The _define variant also uses id as the identifier’s human-readable name; the _define_named variant let’s you provide a separate human-readable name. Within the context of a single execution of this program, this identifier is guaranteed to be distinct from any other identifier, regardless of which library the identifiers are defined in.

In the same compilation unit, you can then use the C identifier id to retrieve the cork_uid instance for this identifier.

Note

The unique identifier objects are declared static, so they are only directly visible (using the C identifier id) in the same compilation unit as the cork_uid_define() call that created the identifier. The resulting cork_uid value, however, can be passed around the rest of your code however you want.

bool cork_uid_equal(const cork_uid id1, const cork_uid id2)

Return whether two cork_uid values refer to the same unique identifier.

cork_hash cork_uid_hash(const cork_uid id)

Return a hash value for the given identifier.

const char *cork_uid_name(const cork_uid id)

Return the name of the given unique identifier.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
#include <libcork/core.h>

cork_uid_define(test_id);

int
main(void)
{
    cork_uid  id = test_id;
    printf("Identifier %p has name %s\n", id, cork_uid_name(id));
    return 0;
}