RBuf is an interesting descriptor class introduced in Symbian 8.0. Based on RBuf, Penrillian has created RStringBuf which provides functions very similar to the other descriptors - but which manages its own memory allocation for all the common string operations (e.g. no need to extend the descriptor manually for Append or Insert).

I am currently rewriting the rendering engine for my Symbianbible, and I need a class that is similar to RStringBuf. My bible reader supports multiple Symbian platform (UIQ 2, UIQ 3, Series 60, Series 60 3rd edition, Series 80, Series 90) so I can’t use the RStringBuf from Penrillian since it depends on RBuf.

Rather than rewriting RStringBuf from scratch using existing descriptor, I decided to write my own RBuf class that is similar to Symbian’s RBuf. It is not difficult, since the source codes of other descriptors implementation are available in file UC_DES16.CPP and UC_DES8.CPP on old EPOC SDK (although it is incomplete). I only implemented the RBuf16, but implementing RBuf8 would not be so different.

You can download my implementation here: RStringBuf_1_1.zip