--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/project_files/frontlib/util/refcounter.h	Fri Jun 15 19:57:25 2012 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/**
+ * Helper functions for reference counted structs.
+ *
+ * We don't have enough of them to justify going crazy with macros, but I still prefer
+ * to have the logic in one place.
+ *
+ * In particular, these functions handle counter overflow in a sensible way
+ * (log and leak).
+ */
+
+#ifndef REFCOUNTER_H_
+#define REFCOUNTER_H_
+
+#include "logging.h"
+#include <stdbool.h>
+
+static inline void flib_retain(int *referenceCountPtr, const char *objName) {
+	if(!referenceCountPtr || !objName) {
+		flib_log_e("null parameter to flib_retain");
+	} else {
+		if((*referenceCountPtr)  >= 0) {
+			(*referenceCountPtr)++;
+			flib_log_d("retaining %s, now %i references", objName, (*referenceCountPtr));
+		}
+		if((*referenceCountPtr) < 0) {
+			flib_log_e("Memory leak: Reference count overflow in %s object!", objName);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns true if the struct should be freed.
+ */
+static inline bool flib_release(int *referenceCountPtr, const char *objName) {
+	bool result = false;
+	if(!referenceCountPtr) {
+		flib_log_e("null parameter to flib_release");
+	} else if((*referenceCountPtr) > 0) {
+		if(--(*referenceCountPtr) == 0) {
+			flib_log_d("releasing and destroying %s", objName);
+			result = true;
+		} else {
+			flib_log_d("releasing %s, now %i references", objName, (*referenceCountPtr));
+		}
+	} else if((*referenceCountPtr) == 0) {
+		flib_log_e("Attempt to release a %s with zero references!", objName);
+	}
+	return result;
+}
+
+#endif /* REFCOUNTER_H_ */