--- /dev/null
+#ifndef SQUID_BASE_INSTANCE_ID_H
+#define SQUID_BASE_INSTANCE_ID_H
+
+#include "config.h"
+#include <iosfwd>
+
+/** Identifier for class instances
+ * - unique IDs for a large number of concurrent instances, but may wrap;
+ * - useful for debugging and insecure request/response matching;
+ * - sequential IDs within a class except when wrapping;
+ * - always positive IDs.
+ * \todo: add storage type parameter to support configurable Value types?
+ * \todo: add creation/destruction debugging?
+ */
+template <class Class>
+class InstanceId
+{
+public:
+ typedef unsigned int Value; ///< id storage type; \todo: parameterize?
+
+ InstanceId(): value(++Last ? Last : ++Last) {}
+
+ operator Value() const { return value; }
+ bool operator ==(const InstanceId &o) const { return value == o.value; }
+ bool operator !=(const InstanceId &o) const { return !(*this == o); }
+
+ /// prints Prefix followed by ID value; \todo: use HEX for value printing?
+ std::ostream &print(std::ostream &os) const;
+
+public:
+ static const char *Prefix; ///< Class shorthand string for debugging
+ const Value value; ///< instance identifier
+
+private:
+ InstanceId(const InstanceId& right); ///< not implemented; IDs are unique
+ InstanceId& operator=(const InstanceId &right); ///< not implemented
+
+private:
+ static Value Last; ///< the last used ID value
+};
+
+/// convenience macro to instantiate Class-specific stuff in .cc files
+#define InstanceIdDefinitions(Class, prefix) \
+ template<> std::ostream & \
+ InstanceId<Class>::print(std::ostream &os) const { \
+ return os << Prefix << value; \
+ } \
+ template<> const char *InstanceId<Class>::Prefix = prefix; \
+ template<> InstanceId<Class>::Value InstanceId<Class>::Last = 0
+
+
+/// print the id
+template <class Class>
+inline
+std::ostream &operator <<(std::ostream &os, const InstanceId<Class> &id) {
+ return id.print(os);
+}
+
+
+#endif /* SQUID_BASE_INSTANCE_ID_H */