--- deliantra/server/include/shstr.h	2007/02/05 02:07:40	1.12
+++ deliantra/server/include/shstr.h	2007/05/14 21:52:32	1.15
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #ifndef SHSTR_H__
 #define SHSTR_H__
 
+#include <sstream>
+
 #include "util.h"
 
 extern int buf_overflow (const char *buf1, const char *buf2, int bufsize);
@@ -31,6 +33,14 @@
     return length (s);
   }
 
+  // returns wether this shared string begins with the given prefix,
+  // used mainly for searched when users give only the start of a name.
+  bool begins_with (const char *prefix) const
+  {
+    int plen = strlen (prefix);
+    return !strncasecmp (s, prefix, plen) && length () >= plen;
+  }
+
   static const char *find (const char *s);
   static const char *intern (const char *s);
 
@@ -113,6 +123,12 @@
   return a != b;
 }
 
+static std::ostream &operator <<(std::ostream &o, const shstr &sh)
+{
+  o.write (sh.s, sh.length ());
+  return o;
+}
+
 // only good for mass comparisons to shstr objects
 struct shstr_cmp
 {