wrapper classes?

What are wrapper(sp?) classes? I have heard the term used but do not know what it means.


Ehh maybe I should look in the FAQ.

They wrap around an API. So you can write a program using a wrapper class for sockets on linux. and you can write a same wrapper class for sockets for windows, and use your program without changing it.

it would have obvious functions like
write(...);
read(...);
open(...);
close(...);

which would in turn call the platform-specific api.

So to create a wrapper class you need to understand the API first.
I just queried the FAQ.

I started learning the Win32 API from Charles Petzold's book and thought how can I turn this from C into C++. I guess one needs to implement wrapper classes.

Are there any books that step through the process of creating wrapper classes especially for the Win32 API?

I am not looking for a lesson on MSFC though, rather on how to implement my own wrapper classes.

Most of the api calls are already wrapped in C++ classes, but if you really want to wrap everything, you might end up with a lot of grey hair ... in about 20 years or so - when you're finished. ;)

A wrapper class does not neccessarily have to wrap around an entire API. for example this could be a simple (pointless, although needed in Java) wrapper class. This class is a wrapper for the primitive type 'int'

Code:

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class Integer {
    int i;
public:
    Integer() { i = 0; }

    int intValue() { return i; }
    /* etc ... */
 
};

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Quote:

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Originally posted by Perspective
A wrapper class does not neccessarily have to wrap around an entire API.

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I merely pointed out that it could take a bit longer to wrap the entire windows API and that partial implementations already exist. :p

Speaking of a berkley sockets wrapper, would any of you guys have one handy?