/*!
 * @header OC_PythonData.h 
 * @abstract Objective-C proxy class for Python buffers
 * @discussion
 *     This file defines the class that is used to represent Python buffers
 *     in Objective-C.
 */

#import "pyobjc.h"
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>

/*!
 * @class       OC_PythonData
 * @abstract    Objective-C proxy class for Python buffers
 * @discussion  Instances of this class are used as proxies for Python 
 *          buffers when these are passed to Objective-C code. Because 
 *          this class is a subclass of NSData, Python buffers
 *          (except str, unicode) can be used everywhere where NSData
 *          is expected.
 */
@interface OC_PythonData : NSData
{
	PyObject* value;

	/* XXX: why are these here? These fields don't seem to be necessary
	 * at all!
	 */
	Py_ssize_t buffer_len;
	const void *buffer;
}

/*!
 * @method newWithPythonObject:
 * @abstract Create a new OC_PythonData for a specific Python buffer
 * @param value A python buffer
 * @result Returns an autoreleased instance representing value
 *
 * Caller must own the GIL.
 */
+(OC_PythonData*)dataWithPythonObject:(PyObject*)value;

/*!
 * @method initWithPythonObject:
 * @abstract Initialise a OC_PythonData for a specific Python buffer
 * @param value A python buffer
 * @result Returns self
 *
 * Caller must own the GIL.
 */
-(OC_PythonData*)initWithPythonObject:(PyObject*)value;

/*!
 * @method dealloc
 * @abstract Deallocate the object
 */
-(void)dealloc;

/*!
 * @method dealloc
 * @abstract Access the wrapped Python buffer
 * @result Returns a new reference to the wrapped Python buffer.
 */
-(PyObject*)__pyobjc_PythonObject__;

/*!
 * @method length
 * @result Returns the length of the wrapped Python buffer
 */
-(NSUInteger)length;

/*!
 * @method bytes
 * @result Returns a pointer to the contents of the Python buffer
 */
-(const void *)bytes;

@end
