From c83dd679b7a0d8245a99c6fb57717834d7425b71 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Andrej Babic <andrej.babic@psi.ch>
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2018 18:44:14 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Simplify file format definition

---
 src/h5_file_format.cpp | 43 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------
 src/h5_file_format.hpp | 25 ++++++++----------------
 2 files changed, 40 insertions(+), 28 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/h5_file_format.cpp b/src/h5_file_format.cpp
index edb992a..8210b31 100644
--- a/src/h5_file_format.cpp
+++ b/src/h5_file_format.cpp
@@ -23,18 +23,39 @@ void h5_utils::write_attribute(H5::H5Object& target, string name, int32_t value)
     h5_attribute.write(int_type, &value);
 }
 
-void h5_utils::set_attributes(H5::H5Object& target, std::list<h5_attribute>& attributes) {
-    for (auto& attribute : attributes) {
+void h5_utils::write_attribute(H5::H5Object& target, h5_attr& attribute) {
 
-        string name = attribute.name;
-        
-        if (attribute.data_type == NX_CHAR) {
-            auto attribute_ptr = reinterpret_cast<h5_attribute_val<NX_CHAR>*>(&attribute);
-            h5_utils::write_attribute(target, name, attribute_ptr->value);
+    cout<< attribute.name << endl;
 
-        } else if (attribute.data_type == NX_INT) {
-            auto attribute_ptr = reinterpret_cast<h5_attribute_val<NX_INT>*>(&attribute);
-            h5_utils::write_attribute(target, name, attribute_ptr->value);
-        }
+    string name = attribute.name;
+    boost::any value;
+
+    if (attribute.data_location == IMMEDIATE){
+        value = attribute.value;
+    } else {
+        // TODO: Implement value.
+    }
+    
+    if (attribute.data_type == NX_CHAR) {
+        // Attempt to convert to const char * (string "literals" cause that).
+        try {
+            h5_utils::write_attribute(target, name, string(boost::any_cast<const char*>(value)));
+            return;
+        } catch (const boost::bad_any_cast& exception) {}
+
+        // Atempt to convert to string.
+        try {
+            h5_utils::write_attribute(target, name, boost::any_cast<string>(value));
+            return;
+        } catch (const boost::bad_any_cast& exception) {}
+
+        // We cannot really convert this attribute.
+        stringstream error_message;
+        error_message << "Cannot convert attribute " << name << "to string or const char*." << endl;
+
+        throw runtime_error(error_message.str());
+
+    } else if (attribute.data_type == NX_INT) {
+        h5_utils::write_attribute(target, name, boost::any_cast<int32_t>(value));
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/h5_file_format.hpp b/src/h5_file_format.hpp
index 2b728c0..c407b52 100644
--- a/src/h5_file_format.hpp
+++ b/src/h5_file_format.hpp
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@
 
 #include <string>
 #include <list>
-
+#include <boost/any.hpp>
 #include <H5Cpp.h>
 
+typedef boost::any h5_value;
+
 enum DATA_TYPE {
     NX_FLOAT,
     NX_CHAR,
@@ -46,25 +48,14 @@ struct h5_dataset : public h5_base, public h5_parent, public h5_data_base{
         : h5_base(name), h5_parent(items), h5_data_base(data_type, REFERENCE) {};
 };
 
-struct h5_attribute : public h5_base, public h5_data_base {
-    h5_attribute(std::string name, DATA_TYPE data_type): h5_base(name), h5_data_base(data_type, IMMEDIATE){};
-    h5_attribute(std::string name, std::string value_alias, DATA_TYPE data_types): h5_base(name), h5_data_base(data_types, REFERENCE){};
-};
-
-template<DATA_TYPE T> struct h5_attribute_val: public h5_base, public h5_data_base {};
-
-template<> struct h5_attribute_val<NX_CHAR>: public h5_attribute {
-    h5_attribute_val(std::string name, std::string value) : h5_attribute(name, NX_CHAR), value(value) {};
-    std::string value;
-};
-
-template<> struct h5_attribute_val<NX_INT>: public h5_attribute {
-    h5_attribute_val(std::string name, int value) : h5_attribute(name, NX_CHAR), value(value) {};
-    int value;
+struct h5_attr : public h5_base, public h5_data_base {
+    h5_attr(std::string name, h5_value value, DATA_TYPE data_types, DATA_LOCATION data_location=IMMEDIATE)
+        : h5_base(name), h5_data_base(data_types, data_location), value(value){};
+    h5_value value;
 };
 
 namespace h5_utils{
-    void set_attributes(H5::H5Object& target, std::list<h5_attribute>& attributes);
+    void write_attribute(H5::H5Object& target, h5_attr& attribute);
     void write_attribute(H5::H5Object& target, std::string name, std::string value);
     void write_attribute(H5::H5Object& target, std::string name, int value);
 }