Links

SMTK’s links pattern (Links) describes a set-like container of “link” objects that have a user-defined base class and represent a connection between two different object types (a “left” type and a “right” type). Additionally, each link contains a “role” field to contextualize the link. The pattern uses boost’s multi-index array to facilitate efficient access to a subset of links according to their “left”, “right” and “role” values.

An example that demonstrates the prinicples and API of this pattern can be found at smtk/comon/testing/cxx/UnitTestLinks.cxx.

Note that the links template is used by SMTK’s resource system in a two-level hierarchy: one Links instance connecting resources to each other with a “generic” role holds a child Links instance that connects both components and resources in specific, user-provided roles. See Resource Links for more information.