Re: Looking for a simple C++ method to solve this virtual framework adjustment

Folks,

I'm looking for a method to resolve the following with minimal
restructuring of this virtual framework.

Basically, I have this abstract class that serves as the base class for
different I/O devices (Modems, Sockets, Console)

   class TCallController : public {
     .... bunch of virtual functions ...

     virtual BOOL EchoInput() { return TRUE; } << -- PROBLEM FOCUS

     .... bunch of virtual functions .....
   };

Its used thru out our code.

At the top level of a p-code RTE operation such as a READ function, it
uses a virtualized TCallController object like so:

      if (CallController->EchoInput()) {
           CallController->Write(b[i]);
      }

Same READ function is used for all devices. The controller is prepared but
the device handler.

The problem is that the virtual EchoInput() is fixed (always TRUE) and I
need to dynamically set it. Again, I am trying to avoid major
restructuring, if possible, but will if its the only way to resolve
this.

A device abstract class is derived from TCallController.

   class TIOController: public TCallController {
   public:
     _declspec(dllexport) TIOController(TIO &io, other parameters)
     : IO(io) {...}
   private:
      TIO &IO;
   };

where TIO is:

   class TTelnetSocketIO : public TIO {
   public:
       BOOL GetOtherEchoMode() { return OtherEcho; }
       BOOL GetLocalEchoMode() { return LocalEcho; }
   protected:
   private:
       BOOL LocalEcho;
       BOOL OtherEcho;
   };

Other connection types (i.e. TModemIO) have the same TIO base class and
functions.

This is how it is implementated when a telnent connection comes in:

   TTelnetSocketIO *io = new TTelnetSocketIO;
   io->Open((WCSOCKET)s, TRUE);
   io->NegotiateOption(TELNET_WILL, TELNET_ECHO);

   TCallController *cc = new TIOController(*io, other parameters);

The io and cc objects are then pass to a p-code RTE which handles the
session I/O with the user.

During the io->NegotiateOption(), it does a handshake with the client.
If the client issues its own telnet option:

   ClientMethod.Of.NegotiateOption(TELNET_DONT, TELNET_ECHO);

Then the server's TIO::LocalEcho is set to false.

Here's the thing:

It never worked (by design)! Our server always echoed the characters
typed by the user. That was the design hence why the EchoInput() was fixed
to return TRUE.

But now in our scalability work, we are looking to make this dynamic and
optional for high speed throughput setups.

The negotiation does take place and the LocalEcho can be set to
false if the remote issues a TELNET_DONT, TELNET_ECHO bytes flag.

So I ideally, I need to pass this to the CallController dynamically.

    virtual BOOL EchoInput() { return LocalEcho; }

or some other way.

One way I could do it is to pass the io->GetLocalEcho() when TIOController
is created, but that will break the framework (hmmmmm, maybe not if I
provide a default) and I have to recompile everything, which is ok, but if
there is another way :-)

Hope one or more of the C++ gurus can provide some insight or method, if
its all possible with little change.

Thanks