#ifndef _STRING_HELPERS_H_
#define _STRING_HELPERS_H_

/// \brief String utility methods
class StringHelpers
{
public:
  /// \brief Generate a string containing the textual value of the objects address
  /// \param a_ptr Pointer to the object in question
  /// \return New std::string containing the memory address of the object in decimal (e.g. 0x0BADFOOD -> "195948557")
  template <class T>
  static std::string PtrToString(const T* a_ptr)
  {
    size_t integerFromPtr = reinterpret_cast<size_t>(a_ptr);
    std::ostringstream strThis;
    strThis << integerFromPtr;
    return strThis.str();
  }

  /// \brief Return a pointer to an object given a string containing the textual value of the objects address
  /// \param a_str std::string containing the memory address of the object in decimal (e.g. "195948557" -> 0x0BADF00D)
  /// \return  Pointer to the object in question
  template <class T>
  static T* StringToPtr(const std::string& a_str)
  {
    std::stringstream ss(a_str);
    size_t integerFromPtr = 0;
    ss >> integerFromPtr;
    return reinterpret_cast<T*>(integerFromPtr);
  }
};

#endif