/*                     __                                               *\
**     ________ ___   / /  ___     Scala API                            **
**    / __/ __// _ | / /  / _ |    (c) 2003-2011, LAMP/EPFL             **
**  __\ \/ /__/ __ |/ /__/ __ |    http://scala-lang.org/               **
** /____/\___/_/ |_/____/_/ | |                                         **
**                          |/                                          **
\*                                                                      */


package scala.collection.parallel


import scala.collection.Parallel
import scala.collection.mutable.Builder
import scala.collection.generic.Sizing



/** The base trait for all combiners.
 *  A combiner incremental collection construction just like
 *  a regular builder, but also implements an efficient merge operation of two builders
 *  via `combine` method. Once the collection is constructed, it may be obtained by invoking
 *  the `result` method.
 *
 *  The complexity of the `combine` method should be less than linear for best
 *  performance. The `result` method doesn't have to be a constant time operation,
 *  but may be performed in parallel.
 *  
 *  @tparam Elem   the type of the elements added to the builder
 *  @tparam To     the type of the collection the builder produces
 *  
 *  @author Aleksandar Prokopec
 *  @since 2.9
 */
trait Combiner[-Elem, +To] extends Builder[Elem, To] with Sizing with Parallel {
//self: EnvironmentPassingCombiner[Elem, To] =>
  private[collection] final val tasksupport = getTaskSupport
  
  /** Combines the contents of the receiver builder and the `other` builder,
   *  producing a new builder containing both their elements.
   *  
   *  This method may combine the two builders by copying them into a larger collection,
   *  by producing a lazy view that gets evaluated once `result` is invoked, or use
   *  a merge operation specific to the data structure in question.
   *  
   *  Note that both the receiver builder and `other` builder become invalidated
   *  after the invocation of this method, and should be cleared (see `clear`)
   *  if they are to be used again.
   *
   *  Also, combining two combiners `c1` and `c2` for which `c1 eq c2` is `true`, that is,
   *  they are the same objects in memory:
   *
   *  {{{
   *  c1.combine(c2)
   *  }}}
   *  
   *  always does nothing and returns `c1`.
   *  
   *  @tparam N      the type of elements contained by the `other` builder
   *  @tparam NewTo  the type of collection produced by the `other` builder
   *  @param other   the other builder
   *  @return        the parallel builder containing both the elements of this and the `other` builder
   */
  def combine[N <: Elem, NewTo >: To](other: Combiner[N, NewTo]): Combiner[N, NewTo]
  
}


/*
private[collection] trait EnvironmentPassingCombiner[-Elem, +To] extends Combiner[Elem, To] {
  abstract override def result = {
    val res = super.result
    res
  }
}
*/