Made get_link the only way to create nested props.

Removed the obj::ptr and sptr typedefs.
The dboard manager now must store not the subdevs, but their proxies.

9 files changed, 70 insertions, 45 deletions

diff --git a/include/usrp_uhd/gain_handler.hpp b/include/usrp_uhd/gain_handler.hpp
index 22e987803..786db993b 100644
--- a/include/usrp_uhd/gain_handler.hpp
+++ b/include/usrp_uhd/gain_handler.hpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ public:
     typedef boost::shared_ptr<gain_handler> sptr;
 
     template <class T> gain_handler(
-        wax::obj::ptr wax_obj_ptr, const T &gain_prop,
+        wax::obj *wax_obj_ptr, const T &gain_prop,
         const T &gain_min_prop, const T &gain_max_prop,
         const T &gain_step_prop, const T &gain_names_prop
     ){
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
 
-    wax::obj::ptr  _wax_obj_ptr;
+    wax::obj     *_wax_obj_ptr;
     wax::obj      _gain_prop;
     wax::obj      _gain_min_prop;
     wax::obj      _gain_max_prop;
diff --git a/include/usrp_uhd/usrp/dboard/manager.hpp b/include/usrp_uhd/usrp/dboard/manager.hpp
index e4eb76bcf..8cc5658d9 100644
--- a/include/usrp_uhd/usrp/dboard/manager.hpp
+++ b/include/usrp_uhd/usrp/dboard/manager.hpp
@@ -66,14 +66,15 @@ public:
     //interface
     prop_names_t get_rx_subdev_names(void);
     prop_names_t get_tx_subdev_names(void);
-    wax::obj::sptr get_rx_subdev(const std::string &subdev_name);
-    wax::obj::sptr get_tx_subdev(const std::string &subdev_name);
+    wax::obj get_rx_subdev(const std::string &subdev_name);
+    wax::obj get_tx_subdev(const std::string &subdev_name);
 
 private:
     //list of rx and tx dboards in this manager
-    //each dboard here is actually a subdevice
-    std::map<std::string, base::sptr> _rx_dboards;
-    std::map<std::string, base::sptr> _tx_dboards;
+    //each dboard here is actually a subdevice proxy
+    //the subdevice proxy is internal to the cpp file
+    std::map<std::string, wax::obj> _rx_dboards;
+    std::map<std::string, wax::obj> _tx_dboards;
 };
 
 }}} //namespace
diff --git a/include/usrp_uhd/wax.hpp b/include/usrp_uhd/wax.hpp
index f0e7a3acc..29a96cdb6 100644
--- a/include/usrp_uhd/wax.hpp
+++ b/include/usrp_uhd/wax.hpp
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #define INCLUDED_WAX_HPP
 
 #include <boost/any.hpp>
-#include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
 #include <iostream>
 
 /*!
@@ -45,8 +44,6 @@
 
 namespace wax{
 
-    typedef boost::bad_any_cast bad_cast;
-
     /*!
      * WAX object base class:
      *
@@ -61,9 +58,6 @@ namespace wax{
      */
     class obj{
     public:
-        //obj pointer typedefs
-        typedef boost::shared_ptr<obj> sptr;
-        typedef obj*                   ptr;
 
         /*!
          * Default constructor:
@@ -151,6 +145,12 @@ namespace wax{
     };
 
     /*!
+     * The wax::bad cast will be thrown when
+     * cast is called with the wrong typeid.
+     */
+    typedef boost::bad_any_cast bad_cast;
+
+    /*!
      * Cast a wax::obj into the desired obj.
      * Usage wax::cast<new_obj>(my_value).
      *
diff --git a/lib/gain_handler.cpp b/lib/gain_handler.cpp
index 3d0c38aa1..8713ad766 100644
--- a/lib/gain_handler.cpp
+++ b/lib/gain_handler.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ using namespace usrp_uhd;
 /*!
  * Helper function to simplify getting a named gain (also min, max, step).
  */
-static gain_t get_named_gain(wax::obj::ptr wax_obj_ptr, wax::obj prop, std::string name){
+static gain_t get_named_gain(wax::obj *wax_obj_ptr, wax::obj prop, std::string name){
     return wax::cast<gain_t>((*wax_obj_ptr)[named_prop_t(prop, name)]);
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/usrp/dboard/manager.cpp b/lib/usrp/dboard/manager.cpp
index 12cfdd156..759cb20b8 100644
--- a/lib/usrp/dboard/manager.cpp
+++ b/lib/usrp/dboard/manager.cpp
@@ -140,23 +140,37 @@ manager::manager(
             base::sptr xcvr_dboard = rx_dboard_ctor(
                 base::ctor_args_t(name, dboard_interface)
             );
-            _rx_dboards[name] = xcvr_dboard;
-            _tx_dboards[name] = xcvr_dboard;
+            //create a rx proxy for this xcvr board
+            _rx_dboards[name] = subdev_proxy::sptr(
+                new subdev_proxy(xcvr_dboard, subdev_proxy::RX_TYPE)
+            );
+            //create a tx proxy for this xcvr board
+            _tx_dboards[name] = subdev_proxy::sptr(
+                new subdev_proxy(xcvr_dboard, subdev_proxy::TX_TYPE)
+            );
         }
     }
     //make tx and rx subdevs (separate subdevs for rx and tx dboards)
     else{
         //make the rx subdevs
         BOOST_FOREACH(std::string name, ctor_to_names_map[rx_dboard_ctor]){
-            _rx_dboards[name] = rx_dboard_ctor(
+            base::sptr rx_dboard = rx_dboard_ctor(
                 base::ctor_args_t(name, dboard_interface)
             );
+            //create a rx proxy for this rx board
+            _rx_dboards[name] = subdev_proxy::sptr(
+                new subdev_proxy(rx_dboard, subdev_proxy::RX_TYPE)
+            );
         }
         //make the tx subdevs
         BOOST_FOREACH(std::string name, ctor_to_names_map[tx_dboard_ctor]){
-            _tx_dboards[name] = tx_dboard_ctor(
+            base::sptr tx_dboard = tx_dboard_ctor(
                 base::ctor_args_t(name, dboard_interface)
             );
+            //create a tx proxy for this tx board
+            _tx_dboards[name] = subdev_proxy::sptr(
+                new subdev_proxy(tx_dboard, subdev_proxy::TX_TYPE)
+            );
         }
     }
 }
@@ -173,20 +187,18 @@ prop_names_t manager::get_tx_subdev_names(void){
     return get_map_keys(_tx_dboards);
 }
 
-wax::obj::sptr manager::get_rx_subdev(const std::string &subdev_name){
+wax::obj manager::get_rx_subdev(const std::string &subdev_name){
     if (_rx_dboards.count(subdev_name) == 0) throw std::invalid_argument(
         str(boost::format("Unknown rx subdev name %s") % subdev_name)
     );
-    return wax::obj::sptr(new subdev_proxy(
-        _rx_dboards[subdev_name], subdev_proxy::RX_TYPE)
-    );
+    //get a link to the rx subdev proxy
+    return wax::cast<subdev_proxy::sptr>(_rx_dboards[subdev_name])->get_link();
 }
 
-wax::obj::sptr manager::get_tx_subdev(const std::string &subdev_name){
+wax::obj manager::get_tx_subdev(const std::string &subdev_name){
     if (_tx_dboards.count(subdev_name) == 0) throw std::invalid_argument(
         str(boost::format("Unknown tx subdev name %s") % subdev_name)
     );
-    return wax::obj::sptr(new subdev_proxy(
-        _tx_dboards[subdev_name], subdev_proxy::TX_TYPE)
-    );
+    //get a link to the tx subdev proxy
+    return wax::cast<subdev_proxy::sptr>(_tx_dboards[subdev_name])->get_link();
 }
diff --git a/lib/usrp/mboard/test.cpp b/lib/usrp/mboard/test.cpp
index 57482448c..b54d66408 100644
--- a/lib/usrp/mboard/test.cpp
+++ b/lib/usrp/mboard/test.cpp
@@ -140,9 +140,11 @@ void test::get(const wax::obj &key_, wax::obj &val){
         if (_dboard_managers.count(name) == 0) throw std::invalid_argument(
             str(boost::format("Unknown rx dboard name %s") % name)
         );
-        val = wax::obj::sptr(
-            new shell_dboard(_dboard_managers[name], shell_dboard::TYPE_RX)
-        );
+        //FIXME store the shell dboard within the class
+        //may not fix, plan to remove this test class when real usrps work
+        //val = wax::obj::sptr(
+        //    new shell_dboard(_dboard_managers[name], shell_dboard::TYPE_RX)
+        //);
         return;
 
     case MBOARD_PROP_RX_DBOARD_NAMES:
@@ -153,9 +155,11 @@ void test::get(const wax::obj &key_, wax::obj &val){
         if (_dboard_managers.count(name) == 0) throw std::invalid_argument(
             str(boost::format("Unknown tx dboard name %s") % name)
         );
-        val = wax::obj::sptr(
-            new shell_dboard(_dboard_managers[name], shell_dboard::TYPE_TX)
-        );
+        //FIXME store the shell dboard within the class
+        //may not fix, plan to remove this test class when real usrps work
+        //val = wax::obj::sptr(
+        //    new shell_dboard(_dboard_managers[name], shell_dboard::TYPE_TX)
+        //);
         return;
 
     case MBOARD_PROP_TX_DBOARD_NAMES:
diff --git a/lib/wax.cpp b/lib/wax.cpp
index 0ae0d4315..a75acdc7f 100644
--- a/lib/wax.cpp
+++ b/lib/wax.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,18 @@ struct proxy_args_t{
     boost::function<void(const wax::obj &)> set;
 };
 
+/*!
+ * The link args for internal use within this cpp file:
+ *
+ * It contains a link (in this case a pointer) to a wax object.
+ * Only the methods in this file may create or parse link args.
+ * The get_link method is the creator of a link args object.
+ * The [] operator will resolve the link and make the [] call.
+ */
+struct link_args_t{
+    wax::obj *obj_ptr;
+};
+
 /***********************************************************************
  * Structors
  **********************************************************************/
@@ -55,16 +67,12 @@ wax::obj::~obj(void){
 wax::obj wax::obj::operator[](const obj &key){
     if (_contents.type() == typeid(proxy_args_t)){
         obj val = resolve();
-        //check if its a regular pointer and call
-        if (val.type() == typeid(obj::ptr)){
-            return (*cast<obj::ptr>(val))[key];
-        }
-        //check if its a smart pointer and call
-        if (val.type() == typeid(obj::sptr)){
-            return (*cast<obj::sptr>(val))[key];
+        //check if its a special link and call
+        if (val.type() == typeid(link_args_t)){
+            return (*cast<link_args_t>(val).obj_ptr)[key];
         }
         //unknown obj
-        throw std::runtime_error("cannot use [] on non wax::obj pointer");
+        throw std::runtime_error("cannot use [] on non wax::obj link");
     }
     else{
         proxy_args_t proxy_args;
@@ -88,7 +96,9 @@ wax::obj & wax::obj::operator=(const obj &val){
  * Public Methods
  **********************************************************************/
 wax::obj wax::obj::get_link(void) const{
-    return ptr(this);
+    link_args_t link_args;
+    link_args.obj_ptr = const_cast<obj*>(this);
+    return link_args;
 }
 
 const std::type_info & wax::obj::type(void) const{
diff --git a/test/usrp_dboard_test.cpp b/test/usrp_dboard_test.cpp
index 60a10a384..5bd086dc1 100644
--- a/test/usrp_dboard_test.cpp
+++ b/test/usrp_dboard_test.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,6 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(test_manager){
     std::cout << "Testing access (will fail later when db code filled in)..." << std::endl;
     BOOST_CHECK_THROW(mgr0->get_rx_subdev(""), std::invalid_argument);
     BOOST_CHECK_THROW(mgr0->get_tx_subdev("x"), std::invalid_argument);
-    (*mgr0->get_rx_subdev("a"))[NULL];
-    (*mgr0->get_tx_subdev(""))[NULL];
+    mgr0->get_rx_subdev("a")[NULL];
+    mgr0->get_tx_subdev("")[NULL];
 }
diff --git a/test/wax_test.cpp b/test/wax_test.cpp
index b329788f2..de66a9f64 100644
--- a/test/wax_test.cpp
+++ b/test/wax_test.cpp
@@ -71,8 +71,6 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(test_chaining){
     wd[size_t(0)][size_t(0)];
     std::cout << "chain 3" << std::endl;
     wd[size_t(0)][size_t(0)][size_t(0)];
-    std::cout << "cast proxy with link" << std::endl;
-    wax::cast<wax::obj::ptr>(wd[size_t(0)][size_t(0)]);
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(test_set_get){