Code improvements

[pingcheck] / Readme

1.   Introduction
=======================================
This application provides means to check the availability of remote hosts
through pings to them.


1.1. Rationale
---------------------------------------
The application uses ICMP echo requests messages to verify if a given host
is available or not.

The host's address can be an IP or a DNS.


1.2. How to use
---------------------------------------
There are many ways to invoke the application, the simplest is just type:
  ./libpingcheck
which uses the configuration values from the configuration file (describled in
section 4.Configuration file).


1.3. Resources
---------------------------------------
Further information about the problem domain can be found in the following
resources:
- http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc792
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Control_Message_Protocol



2.   Code Conventions
=======================================
This section describes the code conventions that must be followed when maintain
this code.


2.1. Data Types
---------------------------------------
This section is a guideline about the type you MUST use when declaring
variables and constants. These types were chose to provide portability and
improve code reradability.

- Use the std::string to represent array of characters.

- Use int32_t, int16_t and int8_t (or their unsigned couter parts) - instead of
  int, short and char, respectively - when the variable or constant MUST have a
  specific size (e.g. like in the protocol headers). This documents that the
  variable has the given number of bits. This states clear the intent of the
  original programmer and avoids improper modifications.

- Use int or uint for regular integer numbers that do not require any specific
  size.

- Use std::size_t for integers that represent sizes of vectors, objects or
  buffers. Thus leaving the size difinition to the platform.


2.2. Coding Style
---------------------------------------
The coding style used in this program is in accordance with the Intra2net,
which can be found in the following source:

- http://intranet/support_wiki/doku.php?id=entwicklung:codingstyle


2.3. Versioning
---------------------------------------
Version is built as follows:
  major.minor[-[a|b|rc]]
where:
- major represents big changes in application functionality.
- minor means small changes of bug fixes.
- a, b and rc stand for Alpha, Beta and Release Candidate respectivelly. Though
  they are optional and not required in public release.



3.   Source Code
=======================================
In this section is presented an overview of the source code and key design
decisions.


3.1. Main directories
---------------------------------------
The sources are spread over these distincts directories:
- src: contains the main application.
- test: where is located the unit tests.
- conf: keeps default and example configuration files.



4.   Configuration file
=======================================