#ifndef CHANNEL_HH
#define CHANNEL_HH

/*
 * Channel.hh
 */

#ifdef FreeBSD
#include <sys/types.h>
#endif
#include <iostream.h>
#include <pthread.h>
#include <stdio.h>

#include "Constants.hh"
#include "Semaphore.hh"

/**
 * The Channel classes are designed to unify the input and output functions.
 * This is done by creating an abstract Channel class with virtual Read,
 * Write and Open methods.  These methods are implemented for each specific 
 * channel (serial, parallel, etc.) that we need.
 */
template <class Dtype>
class Channel
{
public:
  int debugLevel;
  
  Channel (const char* name = "Channel");
  virtual ~Channel ();
  
  void  Name (const char* name);
  const char* Name ();

  virtual STATUS Open  ();
  virtual STATUS Close ();
  virtual STATUS Read  (Dtype message, long length, int timeout);
				/* timeout is in microseconds */
  virtual STATUS Read  (Dtype message, long length);
  virtual STATUS Write (Dtype message, long length);

protected:
  const char* channelName;
  Semaphore* readSem;
  Semaphore* writeSem;
};

#include "Channel.icc"

#endif /* CHANNEL_HH */