add easy type conversion

include/Utils/convertType.h

+/*******************************************************************************
+* CGoGN: Combinatorial and Geometric modeling with Generic N-dimensional Maps  *
+* version 0.1                                                                  *
+* Copyright (C) 2009-2012, IGG Team, LSIIT, University of Strasbourg           *
+*                                                                              *
+* This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it      *
+* under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the *
+* Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your     *
+* option) any later version.                                                   *
+*                                                                              *
+* This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT  *
+* ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or        *
+* FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public License  *
+* for more details.                                                            *
+*                                                                              *
+* You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License     *
+* along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,      *
+* Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301 USA.           *
+*                                                                              *
+* Web site: http://cgogn.unistra.fr/                                           *
+* Contact information: cgogn@unistra.fr                                        *
+*                                                                              *
+*******************************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef __CONVERTTYPE_H_
+#define __CONVERTTYPE_H_
+
+#include <assert.h>
+
+namespace CGoGN {
+
+namespace Utils {
+
+/**
+ * Create a ref to a type from a ref from another type
+ * No copy only casting. No need to used IN template parameter
+ * @param vec input ref
+ * @ return a ref on same object with OUT type
+ */
+template <typename OUT, typename IN>
+inline OUT& convertRef(IN& vec)
+{
+	assert(sizeof(IN) == sizeof(OUT) || "incompatible size cast");
+	return *(reinterpret_cast<OUT*>(&vec));
+}
+
+/**
+ * Create a const ref to a type from a const ref from another type
+ * No copy only casting. No need to used IN template parameter
+ * @param vec input ref
+ * @ return a ref on same object with OUT type
+ */
+template <typename OUT, typename IN>
+inline const OUT& convertRef(const IN& vec)
+{
+	assert(sizeof(IN) == sizeof(OUT) || "incompatible size cast");
+	return *(reinterpret_cast<const OUT*>(&vec));
+}
+
+/**
+ * Create a ptr of a type from a ptr of another type
+ * Just a reinterpret cast in fact
+ * @param vec input ptr
+ * @return a ptr on same object with OUT type
+ */
+template <typename OUT, typename IN>
+inline OUT* convertPtr(IN* vec)
+{
+	assert(sizeof(IN) == sizeof(OUT) || "incompatible size cast");
+	return reinterpret_cast<OUT*>(vec);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Create a const ptr of a type from a const ptr of another type
+ * Just a reinterpret cast in fact
+ * @param vec input ptr
+ * @return a ptr on same object with OUT type
+ */
+template <typename OUT, typename IN>
+inline const OUT* convertPtr(const IN* vec)
+{
+	assert(sizeof(IN) == sizeof(OUT) || "incompatible size cast");
+	return reinterpret_cast<const OUT*>(vec);
+}
+
+
+
+} // namespace Utils
+
+} // namespace CGoGN
+
+
+
+#endif /* CONVERTTYPE_H_ */