Chapter 13 : Series On Design Patterns – Command Pattern

Key Words: Behavioral design pattern, command design pattern in C++

Topics at a glance:

Understanding a behavioral design pattern with command pattern
How we implemented command in classic C++ (C++ 98) way
How we should implement command in modern C++ way.
Let us understand how GUI elements like Menu and Menu Items work, and how a button click execute actions?

Behavioral design pattern: Command design pattern in C++

In this chapter we will see how to implement command design pattern, which is a behavioral pattern, in modern C++. I won’t be talking much about command pattern itself. But, I will point out the important aspects of command pattern.

Command pattern’s core is an abstract base class which declares at least one pure virtual member function called execute(). One has to define concrete derived classes that actually implements this method execute(). The instances of such concrete classes are called as command objects. Command objects abstract the command/request itself into objects. That is the philosophy behind command pattern. The one who raises the request only knows when to raise one command/request, but will be completely unaware of which object instances of what class types are going to actually execute the request and what all resources are required for executing this command. So, the requester simply initiates a command. This command will be first received by the command object as the initiator invokes this execute method. Command object then delegates the request to the actual object that realises this functionality by invoking the call back member function on that final receiver object.

For implementing the execute method, command objects require the following information:

The object instance that implements the actual functionality to realize the command
The method that should be invoked on the object instance
The parameters, if any, that must be passed into that method to execute it correctly

Command objects must be configured with these information, either at time of construction or at least before invoking the execute().

Basically command object elegantly hides the object/entity that initiates a command/request from the object that realizes the command. That said, command object works as an intermediary object between the initiator and the realizer, by making requests into objects.

Now, I will demonstrate the C++ implementation of a typical command pattern, taking the following example:

A document editor application that provides the user with menu-based interface to execute the commands such as opening a document, editing a document (cut, paste, copy) and finally closing the document and exiting the application. This is designed based on command pattern.

The main components of this design are:

Application class
Document class
Menu class
Menu Item class
Command class (abstract base class with a pure virtual execute() method)
Concrete derived classes for releasing the commands open, close, edit:copy, paste, cut

Let us see how this is implemented in classic C++ (C++ 98 or before modern C++).

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <memory>
#include <vector>

using namespace std;

class Command
{
public:
    virtual ~Command(){}
    virtual void execute() = 0;
};

class Menu_Item
{
private:
    Command *command_object_;
    string name_;
public:
    Menu_Item(const char* const name) : name_{name}
    {
        command_object_ = nullptr;
    }
    
    void add_command_object(Command *command_object)
    {
        command_object_ = command_object;
    }
    
    int click()
    {
        int status = -1;
        if(command_object_ != nullptr)
        {
            command_object_->execute();
            status = 0;
        }
        
        return status;
    }
    
    string& get_name()
    {
        return name_;
    }
};

class Menu
{
private:
    string name_;
    vector<Menu_Item*> menu_items;
public:
    Menu(const char* const name): 
        name_{name}
    {
        
    }
    
    void add_menu_item(Menu_Item *menu_item)
    {
        menu_items.push_back(menu_item);
    }
    
    int hover()
    {
        int choice;
        int count = 0;
        
        for (auto item : menu_items)
        {
            cout << item->get_name() << " : " << count++ << endl;
        }
        
        cout << "Enter your Menu Item choice : ";
        cin >> choice;
        
        if(   (choice >= 0) 
            &&(choice <= menu_items.size()) )
        {
            return menu_items[choice]->click();
        }
        
    }
    
    string& get_name()
    {
        return name_;
    }
    
};

class Document
{
private:
    string name_;
public:
    typedef void (Document::*doc_function)();
    Document(const char* const name): name_{name}{}
    
    ~Document()
    {
        close();
    }
    
    void open()
    {
        cout << "Document : " << name_ << " is open" << endl;
    }
    
    void close()
    {
        cout << "Document : " << name_ << " is closed" << endl;
    }
    
    //void copy(int start, int end, string &copied_text)
    void copy()
    {
        cout << "copying..." << endl;
        // copy from start to end to copied_text
        cout << "copy complete" << endl;
    }
    
    //void paste(int position, string& insert_text)
    void paste()
    {
        cout << "pasting..." << endl;
        cout << "pasting complete" << endl;
    }
    
    //void cut(int start, int end, string &extracted_text)
    void cut()
    {
        cout << "cutting..." << endl;
        // copy from start to end to copied_text
        cout << "cut complete" << endl;
    }
    
};

class Open_Document_Command : public Command
{
private:
    Document* document_;
    Document::doc_function function;

public:
    Open_Document_Command(Document* document, Document::doc_function call_back):
        document_{document}, function{call_back}
    {
        
    }
    void execute() override
    {
        (document_->*function)();
    }
};

class Close_Document_Command : public Command
{
private:
    Document* document_;
    Document::doc_function function;

public:
    Close_Document_Command(Document* document, Document::doc_function call_back):
        document_{document}, function{call_back}
    {
        
    }
    void execute() override
    {
        (document_->*function)();
    }
};


class Copy_Document_Command : public Command
{
private:
    Document* document_;
    Document::doc_function function;

public:
    Copy_Document_Command(Document* document, Document::doc_function call_back):
        document_{document}, function{call_back}
    {
        
    }
    void execute() override
    {
        (document_->*function)();
    }
};

class Paste_Document_Command : public Command
{
private:
    Document* document_;
    Document::doc_function function;

public:
    Paste_Document_Command(Document* document, Document::doc_function call_back):
        document_{document}, function{call_back}
    {
        
    }
    void execute() override
    {
        (document_->*function)();
    }
};

class Cut_Document_Command : public Command
{
private:
    Document* document_;
    Document::doc_function function;

public:
    Cut_Document_Command(Document* document, Document::doc_function call_back):
        document_{document}, function{call_back}
    {
        
    }
    
    void execute() override
    {
        (document_->*function)();
    }
};


class Application
{
private:
    vector<Menu*> menus;
    Document *document;
    Menu *file_menu;
    Menu *edit_menu;
    Menu_Item *open_item;
    Menu_Item *close_item;
    Menu_Item *paste_item;
    Menu_Item *copy_item;
    Menu_Item *cut_item;
    Open_Document_Command *open_cmd_object;
    Close_Document_Command *close_cmd_object;
    Paste_Document_Command *paste_cmd_object;
    Copy_Document_Command *copy_cmd_object;
    Cut_Document_Command *cut_cmd_object;
    
public:
    Application()
    {
        string doc_name;
        
        cout << "Document editor app" << endl;
        // 1. open a document first for editing 
        cout << "Enter the file name to edit" << endl;
        cin >> doc_name;
        
        document = new Document(doc_name.c_str());
        
        // 2. add Menus "File" and "Edit"
        file_menu = new Menu("File");
        open_item = new Menu_Item("Open");
        open_cmd_object = new Open_Document_Command(document, &Document::open);
        open_item->add_command_object(open_cmd_object);
        
        file_menu->add_menu_item(open_item);
        
        close_item = new Menu_Item("Close");
        close_cmd_object = new Close_Document_Command(document, &Document::close);
        close_item->add_command_object(close_cmd_object);
        
        file_menu->add_menu_item(close_item);
        
        edit_menu = new Menu("Edit");
        copy_item = new Menu_Item("Copy");
        copy_cmd_object = new Copy_Document_Command(document, &Document::copy);
        copy_item->add_command_object(copy_cmd_object);
        
        edit_menu->add_menu_item(copy_item);
        
        paste_item = new Menu_Item("Paste");
        paste_cmd_object = new Paste_Document_Command(document, &Document::paste);
        paste_item->add_command_object(paste_cmd_object);
        
        edit_menu->add_menu_item(paste_item);
        
        cut_item = new Menu_Item("Cut");
        cut_cmd_object = new Cut_Document_Command(document, &Document::cut);
        cut_item->add_command_object(cut_cmd_object);
        
        edit_menu->add_menu_item(cut_item);
        
        menus.push_back(file_menu);
        menus.push_back(edit_menu);
    }
    
    int select_menu()
    {
        int choice = 0;
        int end_app = 0;
        cout << "Enter your Menu choice" << endl;
        for(auto menu : menus)
        {
            cout << menu->get_name() << " : " << choice++ << endl;
        }
        end_app = choice;
        cout << "Exit : " << end_app << endl;
        
        cin >> choice;
        
        if(  (choice >= 0)
           &&(choice < menus.size()))
        {
            menus[choice]->hover();
        }
        else if(choice == end_app)
        {
            end_application();
            return 1;
        }
        
        return 0;
    }
    
    void end_application()
    {
        // Delete the items in the reverse order  
        // How to close the document ?
        // 2. delete the command_objects created 
        delete open_cmd_object;
        delete close_cmd_object;
        delete paste_cmd_object;
        delete copy_cmd_object;
        delete cut_cmd_object;
        // 3. Delete menu items created 
        delete open_item;
        delete close_item;
        delete paste_item;
        delete copy_item;
        delete cut_item;
        // 4. delete menus 
        delete file_menu;
        delete edit_menu;
        // 5. finally delete document
        delete document;
        
        cout << "Application exiting..." << endl;
    }
    
};

Here, everything is proper. But did you observe that in the end it is essential to delete all the new created objects from free store. This look untidy and not at all is complying to the recommended modern C++ way. Let us use the elegant destructors and std::unique_ptrs and std::shared_ptrs for doing this in the modern C++ way.

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <memory>
#include <vector>

using namespace std;

class Command
{
public:
    virtual ~Command(){}
    virtual void execute() = 0;
};

class Menu_Item
{
private:
    unique_ptr<Command> command_object_;
    string name_;
public:
    Menu_Item(const char* const name) : 
        name_{name},
        command_object_{nullptr}
    {
    }
    
    ~Menu_Item()
    {
        cout << "Menu_Item : " << name_ << " destroyed" << endl;
        command_object_.reset();        
    }
    
    void add_command_object(Command *command_object)
    {
        command_object_.reset(command_object);
    }
    
    int click()
    {
        int status = -1;
        if(command_object_ != nullptr)
        {
            command_object_->execute();
            status = 0;
        }
        
        return status;
    }
    
    string& get_name()
    {
        return name_;
    }
};

class Menu
{
private:
    string name_;
    vector<unique_ptr<Menu_Item>> menu_items;
public:
    Menu(const char* const name): 
        name_{name}
    {
        
    }
    
    ~Menu()
    {
        cout << "Menu " << name_ << " destroyed" << endl;
        for (auto &item : menu_items)
        {
            item.reset();
        }
    }
    
    void add_menu_item(unique_ptr<Menu_Item> menu_item)
    {
        menu_items.push_back(std::move(menu_item));
    }
    
    int hover()
    {
        int choice;
        int count = 0;
        
        for (auto &item : menu_items)
        {
            cout << item->get_name() << " : " << count++ << endl;
        }
        
        cout << "Enter your Menu Item choice : ";
        cin >> choice;
        
        if(   (choice >= 0) 
            &&(choice <= menu_items.size()) )
        {
            return menu_items[choice]->click();
        }
        
    }
    
    // overloaded version 
    // used for mimicking a menu item click by the application  
    int hover(int choice)
    {
        return menu_items[choice]->click();
    }
    
    string& get_name()
    {
        return name_;
    }
    
};


class Application;

class Document
{
private:
    string name_;
    Application *app_;
    void (Application::*notify)();
public:
    typedef void (Document::*doc_function)();
    Document( const char* const name, Application *app, void (Application::*app_notify)() ): 
    name_{name}, 
    app_{app},
    notify{app_notify}
    { 
        /* do nothing */ 
    }
    
    ~Document()
    {
        close();
    }
    
    void open()
    {
        cout << "Document : " << name_ << " is open" << endl;
    }
    
    void close()
    {
        cout << "Document : " << name_ << " is closed" << endl;
        // notify the application 
        (app_->*notify)();
        
    }
    
    //void copy(int start, int end, string &copied_text)
    void copy()
    {
        cout << "copying..." << endl;
        // copy from start to end to copied_text
        cout << "copy complete" << endl;
    }
    
    //void paste(int position, string& insert_text)
    void paste()
    {
        cout << "pasting..." << endl;
        cout << "pasting complete" << endl;
    }
    
    //void cut(int start, int end, string &extracted_text)
    void cut()
    {
        cout << "cutting..." << endl;
        // copy from start to end to copied_text
        cout << "cut complete" << endl;
    }
    
};

class Open_Document_Command : public Command
{
private:
    shared_ptr<Document> document_;
    Document::doc_function function;

public:
    Open_Document_Command(shared_ptr<Document> document, Document::doc_function call_back):
        document_{document}, function{call_back}
    {
        
    }
    void execute() override
    {
        (document_.get()->*function)();
    }
};

class Close_Document_Command : public Command
{
private:
    shared_ptr<Document> document_;
    Document::doc_function function;

public:
    Close_Document_Command(shared_ptr<Document> document, Document::doc_function call_back):
        document_{document}, function{call_back}
    {
        
    }
    void execute() override
    {
        (document_.get()->*function)();
    }
};


class Copy_Document_Command : public Command
{
private:
    shared_ptr<Document> document_;
    Document::doc_function function;

public:
    Copy_Document_Command(shared_ptr<Document> document, Document::doc_function call_back):
        document_{document}, function{call_back}
    {
        
    }
    void execute() override
    {
        (document_.get()->*function)();
    }
};

class Paste_Document_Command : public Command
{
private:
    shared_ptr<Document> document_;
    Document::doc_function function;

public:
    Paste_Document_Command(shared_ptr<Document> document, Document::doc_function call_back):
        document_{document}, function{call_back}
    {
        
    }
    void execute() override
    {
        (document_.get()->*function)();
    }
};

class Cut_Document_Command : public Command
{
private:
    shared_ptr<Document> document_;
    Document::doc_function function;

public:
    Cut_Document_Command(shared_ptr<Document> document, Document::doc_function call_back):
        document_{document}, function{call_back}
    {
        
    }
    
    void execute() override
    {
        (document_.get()->*function)();
    }
};


class Application
{
private:
    vector<unique_ptr<Menu>> menus;
    enum class signal{app_launched = 0, app_exit, user_interrupt, other, no_trigger};
    signal trigger;
public:
    Application()
    {
        string doc_name;
        trigger = signal::app_launched;
        
        cout << "Document editor app" << endl;
        // 1. open a document first for editing 
        cout << "Enter the file name to edit" << endl;
        cin >> doc_name;
        
        shared_ptr<Document> document = make_shared<Document>(doc_name.c_str(), this, &Application::notify_doc_close);
        
        // 2. add Menus "File" and "Edit"
        unique_ptr<Menu> file_menu = make_unique<Menu>("File");
        unique_ptr<Menu_Item> open_item = make_unique<Menu_Item>("Open");
        Open_Document_Command *open_cmd_object = new Open_Document_Command(document, &Document::open);
        open_item->add_command_object(open_cmd_object);
        
        file_menu->add_menu_item(std::move(open_item));
        
        unique_ptr<Menu_Item> close_item = make_unique<Menu_Item> ("Close");
        Close_Document_Command *close_cmd_object = new Close_Document_Command(document, &Document::close);
        close_item->add_command_object(close_cmd_object);
        
        file_menu->add_menu_item(std::move(close_item));
        
        unique_ptr<Menu> edit_menu = make_unique<Menu>("Edit");
        unique_ptr<Menu_Item> copy_item = make_unique<Menu_Item>("Copy");
        Copy_Document_Command *copy_cmd_object = new Copy_Document_Command(document, &Document::copy);
        copy_item->add_command_object(copy_cmd_object);
        
        edit_menu->add_menu_item(std::move(copy_item));
        
        unique_ptr<Menu_Item> paste_item = make_unique<Menu_Item>("Paste");
        Paste_Document_Command *paste_cmd_object = new Paste_Document_Command(document, &Document::paste);
        paste_item->add_command_object(paste_cmd_object);
        
        edit_menu->add_menu_item(std::move(paste_item));
        
        unique_ptr<Menu_Item> cut_item = make_unique<Menu_Item>("Cut");
        Cut_Document_Command *cut_cmd_object = new Cut_Document_Command(document, &Document::cut);
        cut_item->add_command_object(cut_cmd_object);
        
        edit_menu->add_menu_item(std::move(cut_item));
        
        
        menus.push_back(std::move(file_menu));
        menus.push_back(std::move(edit_menu));
    }
    
    int select_menu()
    {
        int choice = 0;
        int end_app = 0;
        cout << "Enter your Menu choice" << endl;
        for(auto &menu : menus)
        {
            cout << menu->get_name() << " : " << choice++ << endl;
        }
        end_app = choice;
        cout << "Exit : " << end_app << endl;
        
        cin >> choice;
        
        if(  (choice >= 0)
           &&(choice < menus.size()))
        {
            menus[choice]->hover();
        }
        else if(choice == end_app)
        {
            // set the trigger 
            trigger = signal::app_exit;
            end_application();
            return 1;
        }
        
        return 0;
    }
    
    void notify_doc_close()
    {
        cout << "Application : document close() detected" << endl;
        
        if(trigger != signal::app_exit) // not supporting re-opening or opening another document 
        {
            end_application();
        }
    }
    
    void end_application()
    {
        // do clean up
        // release back the memory resources to free store 
        for(auto &menu : menus)
        {
            menu.reset();
        }
        
        cout << "Application exiting..." << endl;
    }
    
};

int main()
{
    Application new_app;
    int end_app = 0;
    
    while(end_app == 0)
    {
        end_app = new_app.select_menu();
    }
    
    cout << "Main Ends" << endl; 
}

Want to see the result?

Document editor app
Enter the file name to edit
hello
Enter your Menu choice
File : 0
Edit : 1
Exit : 2
0
Open : 0
Close : 1
Enter your Menu Item choice : 0
Document : hello is open
Enter your Menu choice
File : 0
Edit : 1
Exit : 2
1
Copy : 0
Paste : 1
Cut : 2
Enter your Menu Item choice : 0
copying...
copy complete
Enter your Menu choice
File : 0
Edit : 1
Exit : 2
1
Copy : 0
Paste : 1
Cut : 2
Enter your Menu Item choice : 1
pasting...
pasting complete
Enter your Menu choice
File : 0
Edit : 1
Exit : 2
2
Menu File destroyed
Menu_Item : Open destroyed
Menu_Item : Close destroyed
Menu Edit destroyed
Menu_Item : Copy destroyed
Menu_Item : Paste destroyed
Menu_Item : Cut destroyed
Document : hello is closed
Application : document close() detected
Application exiting...
Main Ends

So, what’s happening? Let’s analyze step by step.

Application greeted the user with App name and asked to enter the file name to open for editing.
User entered the file name ‘hello’
Application gives user a choice to select a menu. ‘0’ for File menu and ‘1’ for Edit menu
User select File menu
Application gives user another choice to select a menu item. ‘0’ for open, ‘1’ for close
User selects open. Application opens the file ‘hello’ for editing
Application gives user another choice to select the menu again.
User selects Edit menu this time
Application gives user a choice to select a menu item from Edit menu. ‘0’ for copy, ‘1’ for paste, ‘2’ for cut
User selects copy, application executes copy.
Application gives user another choice to select a menu again, for which user selects Edit menu and in turn select paste operation from Edit menu.
Application executes paste
Application gives user a choice to select a menu.
This time user selects Exit option ‘2’.
Application runs the clean up code. Clean up code just calls the reset() member function of unique_ptr.
This in turn calls the destructors of each of the objects and elegantly deletes and releases back the memory
In course of object deletion, destructor of Document class is also called which results in closing the file itself.

This is how you have to implement Command Design Pattern in modern C++.

Enjoyed the chapter? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks 🙂

4 thoughts on “Chapter 13 : Series On Design Patterns – Command Pattern”

markew2013 says:

July 2, 2021 at 12:41 am

Command pattern is more easily implemented using functors (std::function, std::bind).

1. Deepesh Menon says:
  
  July 2, 2021 at 8:36 am
  
  Okay Markew2013, Thanks for letting me know. Will look into it. 🙂
  
Anonymous says:

June 27, 2020 at 4:31 pm

Coding Example is good. But try to make theory or introduction bit short. Code comments are okay.

1. Deepesh Menon says:
  
  June 27, 2020 at 4:37 pm
  
  Okay. Will consider your feedback seriously. Thanks dear reader.

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Chapter 13 : Series On Design Patterns – Command Pattern

Behavioral design pattern: Command design pattern in C++

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Behavioral design pattern: Command design pattern in C++

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