Storing a C++ class pointer in a flexsim object

Would it be possible to store a pointer to a class in C++ into a Flexsim node? With other words make a link between a class object in a DLL and a Flexsim object?

Interested to hear your ideas.

You can always just give the node number data, and then set it to tonum(class pointer). The problem with that, though, is that you're explicitly breaking save state capability, so it's not "best practices." What I usually try to do is preserve the idea that all pointers need to be to nodes (not to custom c++ class instances), and then nodes can hold binary data such as custom classes that I define. With version 5 you have the added capability of using one-way coupling data that is properly saved, so this gives you more flexibility in using this method. Then I usually define structs, and store them in the nodes' data using the bb... commands: bbsetsize(), bbgetsize(), bbgetbuffer(). The main drawback here is that the definition of the struct needs to be completely serializable, meaning it has to be one contiguous block of bytes that contain all the class' information, or in other words, the struct/class can't contain pointers to other structs/classes. So it's not the most flexible method, but so far it's worked pretty well for me.

Anthony,

I have to chew on your answer a bit, but thanks anyway. I think that breaking save state capability is not that big an issue because the DLL with it's class instances is also closed anyway and I don't think there is any use keeping links there between the DLL and Flexsim.