// StringSegment03.h

// tom bailey   9 mar 06
// Declare the StringSegment class.

// ver 1: constructor from two string iterators
//        print the segment

// tom bailey   17 mar 06
// ver 2: operator<

// tom bailey   20 mar 06
// ver 3: matchLength

#if ! defined( STRINGSEGMENT_H_ )
#define STRINGSEGMENT_H_

#include <string>
#include <iostream>

// Access to strings is via a constant iterator.
#define StrCIt std::string::const_iterator

class StringSegment {
public:
	// post: This StringSegment represents the string between the
	//       two string iterators begin and end.
	StringSegment( StrCIt begin, StrCIt end );

	// post: Up to limit characters of this StringSegment have 
	//       been written to outfile.
	void write( std::ostream & outfile, size_t limit = -1, std::string delim = "" ) const;

	// post: True has been returned just if this StringSegment
	//       lexicographically precedes other.
	bool operator<( const StringSegment & other ) const;

	// post: The length of the matching prefix of this StringSegment
	//       and other has been returned.
	size_t matchLength( const StringSegment & other ) const;

	bool is_prefix(const StringSegment & other) const;

	// post: The begin iterator has been returned.
	StrCIt beginIter() const;

	// post: The end iterator has been returned.
	StrCIt endIter() const;

private:
	StrCIt begin;
	StrCIt end;
};

std::ostream & operator<<( std::ostream &, const StringSegment & );

#endif