--- deliantra/server/include/util.h	2007/07/13 15:54:40	1.53
+++ deliantra/server/include/util.h	2007/08/16 06:36:56	1.55
@@ -335,33 +335,66 @@
 
 extern rand_gen rndm;
 
+INTERFACE_CLASS (attachable)
+struct refcnt_base
+{
+  typedef int refcnt_t;
+  mutable refcnt_t ACC (RW, refcnt);
+
+  MTH void refcnt_inc () const { ++refcnt; }
+  MTH void refcnt_dec () const { --refcnt; }
+
+  refcnt_base () : refcnt (0) { }
+};
+
+extern refcnt_base::refcnt_t refcnt_dummy;
+
 template<class T>
 struct refptr
 {
+  // p if not null
+  refcnt_base::refcnt_t *refcnt_ref () { return p ? &p->refcnt : &refcnt_dummy; }
+
+  void refcnt_dec ()
+  {
+    if (!is_constant (p))
+      --*refcnt_ref ();
+    else if (p)
+      --p->refcnt;
+  }
+
+  void refcnt_inc ()
+  {
+    if (!is_constant (p))
+      ++*refcnt_ref ();
+    else if (p)
+      ++p->refcnt;
+  }
+
   T *p;
 
   refptr () : p(0) { }
-  refptr (const refptr<T> &p) : p(p.p) { if (p) p->refcnt_inc (); }
-  refptr (T *p) : p(p) { if (p) p->refcnt_inc (); }
-  ~refptr () { if (p) p->refcnt_dec (); }
+  refptr (const refptr<T> &p) : p(p.p) { refcnt_inc (); }
+  refptr (T *p) : p(p) { refcnt_inc (); }
+  ~refptr () { refcnt_dec (); }
 
   const refptr<T> &operator =(T *o)
   {
-    if (p) p->refcnt_dec ();
+    // if decrementing ever destroys we need to reverse the order here
+    refcnt_dec ();
     p = o;
-    if (p) p->refcnt_inc ();
-
+    refcnt_inc ();
     return *this;
   }
 
-  const refptr<T> &operator =(const refptr<T> o)
+  const refptr<T> &operator =(const refptr<T> &o)
   {
     *this = o.p;
     return *this;
   }
 
   T &operator * () const { return *p; }
-  T *operator ->() const { return p; }
+  T *operator ->() const { return  p; }
 
   operator T *() const { return p; }
 };
@@ -513,8 +546,8 @@
 
 int similar_direction (int a, int b);
 
-// like printf, but returns a std::string
-const std::string format (const char *format, ...);
+// like sprintf, but returns a "static" buffer
+const char *format (const char *format, ...);
 
 #endif