class_type              &concat_(class_type const &rhs);

    static char_type const  *next_slash_or_end(char_type const *p);
    static char_type        path_name_separator_alt();

// Members
private:
    typedef basic_file_path_buffer< char_type
                                ,   allocator_type
                                >                   buffer_type;

    struct part
    {
        enum Type
        {
                normal
            ,   dot
            ,   dotdot
        };

        size_type       len;
        char_type const *p;
        Type            type;
    };

    buffer_type m_buffer;
    size_type   m_len;
};

/* /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 * Typedefs for commonly encountered types
 */

/// Instantiation of the basic_path template for the ANSI character type \c char
typedef basic_path<ws_char_a_t, filesystem_traits<ws_char_a_t> >       path_a;
/// Instantiation of the basic_path template for the Unicode character type \c wchar_t
typedef basic_path<ws_char_w_t, filesystem_traits<ws_char_w_t> >       path_w;
/// Instantiation of the basic_path template for the Win32 character type \c TCHAR
typedef basic_path<TCHAR, filesystem_traits<TCHAR> >                   path;

/* /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 * Support for PlatformSTL redefinition by inheritance+namespace, for confused
 * compilers (e.g. VC++ 6)
 */

#ifndef STLSOFT_DOCUMENTATION_SKIP_SECTION

    template<   ss_typename_param_k C
# ifdef STLSOFT_CF_TEMPLATE_CLASS_DEFAULT_CLASS_ARGUMENT_SUPPORT
            ,   ss_typename_param_k T = filesystem_traits<C>
            ,   ss_typename_param_k A = processheap_allocator<C>
# else /* ? STLSOFT_CF_TEMPLATE_CLASS_DEFAULT_CLASS_ARGUMENT_SUPPORT */
            ,   ss_typename_param_k T /* = filesystem_traits<C> */
            ,   ss_typename_param_k A /* = processheap_allocator<C> */
# endif /* STLSOFT_CF_TEMPLATE_CLASS_DEFAULT_CLASS_ARGUMENT_SUPPORT */
            >
    class basic_path__
        : public winstl_ns_qual(basic_path)<C, T, A>
    {
    private:
        typedef winstl_ns_qual(basic_path)<C, T, A>                     parent_class_type;
        typedef winstl_ns_qual(basic_path__)<C, T, A>                   class_type;
    public:
        typedef ss_typename_type_k parent_class_type::char_type         char_type;
        typedef ss_typename_type_k parent_class_type::traits_type       traits_type;
        typedef ss_typename_type_k parent_class_type::allocator_type    allocator_type;
        typedef ss_typename_type_k parent_class_type::size_type         size_type;

    public:
        basic_path__()
            : parent_class_type()
        {}
        ss_explicit_k basic_path__(char_type const *path)
            : parent_class_type(path)
        {}
# ifdef STLSOFT_CF_MEMBER_TEMPLATE_CTOR_SUPPORT
        /// Constructs a path from \c path
        template<ss_typename_param_k S>
        ss_explicit_k basic_path__(S const &s)
            : parent_class_type(s)
        {}
# endif /* STLSOFT_CF_MEMBER_TEMPLATE_CTOR_SUPPORT */
        basic_path__(char_type const *path, size_type cch)
            : parent_class_type(path, cch)
        {}
        basic_path__(class_type const &rhs)
            : parent_class_type(rhs)
        {}

        class_type &operator =(class_type const &rhs)
        {
            parent_class_type::operator =(rhs);

            return *this;
        }
        class_type &operator =(char_type const *rhs)
        {
            parent_class_type::operator =(rhs);

            return *this;
        }
# ifdef STLSOFT_CF_MEMBER_TEMPLATE_FUNCTION_SUPPORT
        template<ss_typename_param_k S>
        class_type &operator =(S const &s)
        {
            parent_class_type::operator =(s);

            return *this;
        }
# endif /* STLSOFT_CF_MEMBER_TEMPLATE_FUNCTION_SUPPORT */
    };

#endif /* !STLSOFT_DOCUMENTATION_SKIP_SECTION */

/* /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 * Operators
 */

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_bool_t operator ==(basic_path<C, T, A> const &lhs, ss_typename_type_k basic_path<C, T, A>::char_type const *rhs)
{
    return lhs.equal(rhs);
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_bool_t operator !=(basic_path<C, T, A> const &lhs, ss_typename_type_k basic_path<C, T, A>::char_type const *rhs)
{
    return !lhs.equal(rhs);
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_bool_t operator ==(ss_typename_type_k basic_path<C, T, A>::char_type const *lhs, basic_path<C, T, A> const &rhs)
{
    return rhs.equal(lhs);
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_bool_t operator !=(ss_typename_type_k basic_path<C, T, A>::char_type const *lhs, basic_path<C, T, A> const &rhs)
{
    return !rhs.equal(lhs);
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_bool_t operator ==(basic_path<C, T, A> const &lhs, basic_path<C, T, A> const &rhs)
{
    return lhs.equal(rhs);
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_bool_t operator !=(basic_path<C, T, A> const &lhs, basic_path<C, T, A> const &rhs)
{
    return !lhs.equal(rhs);
}

// operator /

/// \brief Concatenates \c rhs to the path \c lhs
template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline basic_path<C, T, A> operator /(basic_path<C, T, A> const &lhs, ss_typename_type_k basic_path<C, T, A>::char_type const *rhs)
{
    return basic_path<C, T, A>(lhs) /= rhs;
}

/// \brief Concatenates \c rhs to the path \c lhs
template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline basic_path<C, T, A> operator /(ss_typename_type_k basic_path<C, T, A>::char_type const *lhs, basic_path<C, T, A> const &rhs)
{
    return basic_path<C, T, A>(lhs) /= rhs;
}

/// \brief Concatenates \c rhs to the path \c lhs
template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline basic_path<C, T, A> operator /(basic_path<C, T, A> const &lhs, basic_path<C, T, A> const &rhs)
{
    return basic_path<C, T, A>(lhs) /= rhs;
}

/* /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 * Helper functions
 */

#if !defined(STLSOFT_COMPILER_IS_MSVC) || \
    _MSC_VER >= 1100

/// This helper function makes a path variable without needing to
/// qualify the template parameter.
template<ss_typename_param_k C>
inline basic_path<C> make_path(C const *path)
{
    return basic_path<C>(path);
}

#endif /* compiler */

/* /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 * swapping
 */

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline void swap(basic_path<C, T, A> &lhs, basic_path<C, T, A> &rhs)
{
    lhs.swap(rhs);
}

/* /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 * Shims
 */

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline C const *c_str_ptr_null(basic_path<C, T, A> const &b)
{
    return stlsoft_ns_qual(c_str_ptr_null)(b.c_str());
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_char_a_t const *c_str_ptr_null_a(basic_path<ws_char_a_t, T, A> const &b)
{
    return stlsoft_ns_qual(c_str_ptr_null_a)(b.c_str());
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_char_w_t const *c_str_ptr_null_w(basic_path<ws_char_w_t, T, A> const &b)
{
    return stlsoft_ns_qual(c_str_ptr_null_w)(b.c_str());
}



template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline C const *c_str_ptr(basic_path<C, T, A> const &b)
{
    return b.c_str();
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_char_a_t const *c_str_ptr_a(basic_path<ws_char_a_t, T, A> const &b)
{
    return b.c_str();
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_char_w_t const *c_str_ptr_w(basic_path<ws_char_w_t, T, A> const &b)
{
    return b.c_str();
}


template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline C const *c_str_data(basic_path<C, T, A> const &b)
{
    return b.c_str();
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_char_a_t const *c_str_data_a(basic_path<ws_char_a_t, T, A> const &b)
{
    return b.c_str();
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_char_w_t const *c_str_data_w(basic_path<ws_char_w_t, T, A> const &b)
{
    return b.c_str();
}




template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_size_t c_str_len(basic_path<C, T, A> const &b)
{
    return stlsoft_ns_qual(c_str_len)(b.c_str());
}

#if 0
template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ws_size_t c_str_size(basic_path<C, T, A> const &b)
{
    return stlsoft_ns_qual(c_str_size)(b.c_str());
}
#endif /* 0 */

template<   ss_typename_param_k S
        ,   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline S &operator <<(S & s, basic_path<C, T, A> const &b)
{
    s << b.c_str();

    return s;
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Unit-testing

#ifdef STLSOFT_UNITTEST
# include "./unittest/path_unittest_.h"
#endif /* STLSOFT_UNITTEST */

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Implementation

#ifndef STLSOFT_DOCUMENTATION_SKIP_SECTION

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline /* static */ ss_typename_param_k basic_path<C, T, A>::char_type const *basic_path<C, T, A>::next_slash_or_end(ss_typename_param_k basic_path<C, T, A>::char_type const *p)
{
    for(; ; )
    {
        switch(*p)
        {
            case    '/':
            case    '\\':
                ++p;
            case    '\0':
                return p;
            default:
                ++p;
                break;
        }
    }
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline /* static */ ss_typename_param_k basic_path<C, T, A>::char_type basic_path<C, T, A>::path_name_separator_alt()
{
    return '/';
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline void basic_path<C, T, A>::swap(basic_path<C, T, A> &rhs)
{
    m_buffer.swap(rhs.m_buffer);
    std::swap(m_len, rhs.m_len);
}

template<   ss_typename_param_k C
        ,   ss_typename_param_k T
        ,   ss_typename_param_k A
        >
inline ss_typename_param_k basic_path<C, T, A>::class_type &basic_path<C, T, A>::concat_(ss_typename_param_k basic_path<C, T, A>::char_type const *rhs)
{
    m_len = traits_type::str_len(traits_type::str_cat(&m_buffer[0], rhs));