From what I can see, there are really two problems:
- We have an algorithm (logic) in which we would like to defer some operations and decisions to something else (e.g. user via UI).
- We would like to avoid tight coupling between the algorithm and that something else.
If we use OO languages, there are several design patters which address these two specific problems.
- Template Method pattern can solve #1. It does not solve #2 very well because the typical implementation is via inheritence.
- Observer pattern looks promising too.
So really it is choosing and mixing the simplest one for the needs and most suitable for the language.
In practical terms, if talk about C# for example, we can implement Template Method and Observer hybrid like this:
// This will handle extensions to the FileCopy algorithm
abstract class FileCopyExtention
{
public abstract Response WhatToDoWhenFileExists();
}
// the copy function, pure logic
public static void Copy(string source, string destination, FileCopyExtention extension)
{
if (File.Exists(destination))
{
var response = _extension.WhatToDoWhenFileExists();
if (response == overwrite)
// overwrite the file
else
// error
}
}
// This is our user-interactive UI extension
class FileCopyUI : FileCopyExtention
{
public override Response WhatToDoWhenFileExists()
{
// show some UI, return user's response to the caller
}
}
// the program itself
void Main()
{
Copy("/tmp/foo", "/tmp/bar", new FileCopyUI());
}
As a variation of the theme, you can use events, delegates or whatever the language of your choice provides.
In C, this could be a function pointer, in C++ a reference to a class I guess.