# Lynar Studios - Standard Library 2024.1.0.0 #

This is a cross-platform standard library written in C++ offering functionalities you would usually miss in C++'s standard library, especially if you would search for cross-platform implementations.  
This library has been tested on __Windows__, __Linux__ and __MacOS__ systems.
Following a modularized approach the following independent submodules are defined in scope of this library:
 
#### Boxing ####

This library module provides boxing classes for primitive data types (e.g. string, int, long, float...), adding additional functionalities.

#### Core ####

The core module is a base module providing common functionalities being shared among other library submodules. Functionalities provided by this module include interfaces, exceptions and base classes, which provide basic reflection functionalities.

#### Encoding ####

To encode a byte field (e.g. a binary file) for network transfer the __Base64__ encoding / decoding functionality is being provided by this submodule as a first feature.

#### Event ####

This submodule comes with events in a primitive form, as well as with handlers and managers to provide an intuitive event handling for your application.

#### IO ####

To handle file operations - or to receive information of a file - this library submodule provides an own __File__ class implementation, which can also be passed to library implemented input or output stream classes.  
Additionally __XML__ and __KV__ parsing functionalities are provided.

#### Time ####

A __Date__ class comes with this submodule, which you can use to represent a date and do operations on it. 

---
### Changelog ###

#### Features ####

- a reworked version of Event handling is now available, which orients more on nowadays standards - this implementation
  is replacing the old Event based implementation
- this library is now licensed under the __LGPL v3__ license

#### Improvements ####

- an OS-specific initialization-script is now being provided for setting up the project and preparing it for the developer for code-contribution
- the library version scheme is now reflecting major-, minor- and patch-level additionally to the year of release to
  rightfully reflect on the change impact, resulting into the format YYYY.MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
- CMake required minimum version was upgraded to __3.30.0__
- GCC required minimum compiler version was upgraded to __14.2__
- Google Test version was upgraded to __1.15.2__

#### Fixes ####

- none

---
### Documentation ###

You can find a detailed documentation on Lynar Studios Website: lynarstudios.com

---
### License ###

This software is licensed and uses MIT-license. You can find a __LICENSE.MIT__ file inside the project's root directory.

---
### Building ###

Building this library would result into providing binaries for each library module and CLI tool: 

| binary              | type                       | dependency                   |
|---------------------|----------------------------|------------------------------|
| __cli-base64__      | CLI executable             | ls-std-encoding, ls-std-core |
| __ls-std-boxing__   | library (static / dynamic) | ls-std-core                  |
| __ls-std-core__     | library (static / dynamic) | ---                          |
| __ls-std-encoding__ | library (static / dynamic) | ls-std-core                  |
| __ls-std-event__    | library (static / dynamic) | ls-std-core                  |
| __ls-std-io__       | library (static / dynamic) | ls-std-core                  |
| __ls-std-time__     | library (static / dynamic) | ls-std-core                  |

#### Prerequisites ####

To build this library you'd need a supported __toolchain__ in place, consisting of a build tool and compiler. The following table is a listing of supported compilers and build tools associated with operating systems, where this library has been tested:

| Supported Compiler<br/>(mandatory) | OS               | Supported Compiler Version<br/>(mandatory) | Build Tool<br/>(mandatory) | Build Tool Version (mandatory) |
|------------------------------------|------------------|--------------------------------------------|----------------------------|--------------------------------|
| GCC                                | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | 14.2.0                                     | CMake                      | \>= 3.30.0                     |
| Clang                              | Linux Mint 20.3  | 12.0.0-3ubuntu1~20.04.5                    | CMake                      | \>= 3.30.0                     |
| MinGW-w64 / GCC                    | Windows 10       | 11.2.0                                     | CMake                      | \>= 3.30.0                     |
| MSVC                               | Windows 10       | 19.40.33811.0                              | CMake                      | \>= 3.30.0                     |
| AppleClang                         | MacOS Monterey   | 14.0.0                                     | CMake                      | \>= 3.30.0                     |

Please note, that where the underlying operating system is optional in this listing, the toolchain itself is not! This means, that by default you should use one of the supported listed toolchains.  
In case you'd like to use an unsupported toolchain, you can enforce this during CMake project generation. For that have a look at the CMake flag usage section below.

#### Generate CMake Project (Unix) ####

To prepare a CMake project, create a build folder within the project's root folder (where the CMakeLists.txt file is located) via CLI and navigate to it:

```
mkdir cmake-build-release
cd cmake-build-release
```

Inside this folder generate the CMake project:

```
cmake ../
```

Alternatively, the CMake project generation can be controlled by providing library specific CMake flags. The following table is a listing of available flags:

| CMake Flag                               | Default Value | Description                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------|---------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| __LS_STD_BUILD_WITH_TESTS__              | OFF           | This flag can be enabled to build automated tests, like unit or integration tests.                                                                   |
| __LS_STD_BUILD_WITH_SUPPORTED_COMPILER__ | ON            | This flag enforces the usage of supported compilers, only.<br/>For usage of an unsupported toolchain, set this flag to __OFF__.                      |
| __LS_STD_BUILD_STATIC__                  | ON            | This flag indicates, that all library modules should be built as static goals.  <br/>Please note, that __LS_STD_BUILD_SHARED__ has to be turned off. |
| __LS_STD_BUILD_SHARED__                  | OFF           | This flag indicates, that all library modules should be built as shared goals.  <br/>Please note, that __LS_STD_BUILD_STATIC__ has to be turned off. |
| __LS_STD_BUILD_WITH_JNI__                | OFF           | This flag enables the build of JNI dependencies.  <br/>Please note, that __LS_STD_BUILD_SHARED__ has to be turned on.                                |

To use one or more of these flags, you'd have to adjust previous command, like:

```
cmake -DLS_STD_BUILD_WITH_TESTS=ON ../
```

#### Compile Project ####

Now, that the CMake project is generated, you should find CMake generated files inside previously created build folder. In order to compile the project run:   

```
cmake --build . --config Release
```

Once compilation is done, you should find generated binaries within __cmake-build-release__ folder.

---
### Link ls-std Libraries (CMake) ###

If you would like to add this library's modules to your own CMake project, make sure that you would add the libraries' include directory:

```
include_directories(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/path/to/this/library/include)
```

Then link the libraries' binary files, like:

```
target_link_libraries(... ls-std-core ls-std-boxing ...)
```

---

### Project Contribution ###

#### Initialization ####

To initialize this project and prepare it for local development, an OS-specific init-script must be executed. This script is located in __config/scripts__ location of the projects' root folder. Choose the OS-specific script (e.g. init.sh for Linux) and execute it via CLI.

### Run Automated Tests ###

When enabling test build CMake flag during CMake project generation, executable test suite binaries will be generated during project compilation.  
You would then find individual module test suites, as well as a whole project test suite, which can be run via CLI.
