module Rex

###
#
# Transformer - more than meets the eye!
# -----------
#
# This class, aside from having a kickass name, is responsible for translating
# object instances of one or more types into a single list instance of one or
# more types.  This is useful for translating object instances that be can
# either strings or an array of strings into an array of strings, for
# instance.  It lets you make things take a uniform structure in an abstract
# manner.
#
###
class Transformer

	# Translates the object instance supplied in src_instance to an instance of
	# dst_class.  The dst_class parameter's instance must support the <<
	# operator.  An example call to this method looks something like:
	#
	# Transformer.transform(string, Array, [ String ], target)
	def Transformer.transform(src_instance, dst_class, supported_classes, 
			target = nil)
		dst_instance = dst_class.new

		if (src_instance.kind_of?(Array))
			src_instance.each { |src_inst|
				Transformer.transform_single(src_inst, dst_instance, 
						supported_classes, target)
			}
		elsif (!src_instance.kind_of?(NilClass))
			Transformer.transform_single(src_instance, dst_instance, 
					supported_classes, target)
		end

		return dst_instance
	end

protected

	# Transform a single source instance.
	def Transformer.transform_single(src_instance, dst_instance, 
			supported_classes, target)
		# If the src instance's class is supported, just add it to the dst 
		# instance
		if (supported_classes.include?(src_instance.class))
			dst_instance << src_instance
		# If the source instance is a string, query each of the supported
		# classes to see if they can serialize it to their particular data 
		# type.
		elsif (src_instance.kind_of?(String))
			new_src_instance = nil

			# Walk each supported class calling from_s if exported
			supported_classes.each { |sup_class|
				new_src_instance = sup_class.from_s(src_instance)

				if (new_src_instance != nil)
					dst_instance << new_src_instance
					break
				end
			}

			# If we don't have a valid new src instance, then we suck
			if (new_src_instance == nil)
				bomb_translation(src_instance, target)
			end
		# Otherwise, bomb translation
		else
			bomb_translation(src_instance, target)
		end
	end

	def Transformer.bomb_translation(src_instance, target)
		error = "Invalid source class (#{src_instance.class})"

		if (target != nil)
			error += " for #{target}"
		end

		raise ArgumentError, error, caller
	end

end

end