Add copyToArray() method as discussed in issue #52

CircularBuffer.h

@@ -173,6 +173,11 @@ template<typename T, size_t S, typename IT = typename Helper::Index<(S <= UINT8_
 	void inline debugFn(Print* out, void (*printFunction)(Print*, T));
 	#endif
 
+    void copyToArray(T* out) const;
+
+    template<typename R>
+    void copyToArray(R* out, R (&convert)(const T&)) const;
+
 private:
 	T buffer[S];
 	T *head;

CircularBuffer.tpp

@@ -123,6 +123,31 @@ void inline CircularBuffer<T,S,IT>::clear() {
 	count = 0;
 }
 
+template<typename T, size_t S, typename IT>
+void inline CircularBuffer<T,S,IT>::copyToArray(T* out) const {
+    const T* bufEnd = buffer + capacity;
+    const T* outEnd = out + count;
+    for (const T* t = head; t < bufEnd && out < outEnd; t++, out++) {
+        *out = *t;
+    }
+    for (const T* t = buffer; t <= tail && out < outEnd; t++, out++) {
+        *out = *t;
+    }
+}
+
+template<typename T, size_t S, typename IT>
+template<typename R>
+void inline CircularBuffer<T,S,IT>::copyToArray(R* out, R (&convert)(const T&)) const {
+    const T* bufEnd = buffer + capacity;
+    const R* outEnd = out + count;
+    for (const T* t = head; t < bufEnd && out < outEnd; t++, out++) {
+        *out = convert(*t);
+    }
+    for (const T* t = buffer; t <= tail && out < outEnd; t++, out++) {
+        *out = convert(*t);
+    }
+}
+
 #ifdef CIRCULAR_BUFFER_DEBUG
 #include <string.h>
 template<typename T, size_t S, typename IT>

README.md

@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ buffer[15]; // ['c','d','e'] returned value is unpredictable
 * `available()` returns the number of elements that can be added before saturating the buffer
 * `capacity()` returns the number of elements the buffer can store, for completeness only as it's user-defined and never changes **REMOVED** from `1.3.0` replaced by the read-only member variable `capacity`
 * `clear()` resets the whole buffer to its initial state (pay attention though, if you had dynamically allocated objects in your buffer, memory used by such object is *not* released: iterate over the buffer contents and release object accordingly to their allocation method)
+* `copyToArray(array)` copies the contents of the circular buffer to a standard array `array`. The array must be large enough to hold all the elements in the buffer. 
 
 ## Advanced Usage
 
@@ -237,6 +238,7 @@ Multiple examples are available in the `examples` folder of the library:
  * [Stack.ino](https://github.com/rlogiacco/CircularBuffer/blob/master/examples/Stack/Stack.ino) on the other end shows how to use the library to represent a LIFO data structure
  * [Struct.ino](https://github.com/rlogiacco/CircularBuffer/blob/master/examples/Struct/Struct.ino) answers to the question _can this library store structured data?_
  * [Interrupts.ino](https://github.com/rlogiacco/CircularBuffer/blob/master/examples/Interrupts/Interrupts.ino) demonstrates the use of the library in interrupt driven code
+ * [Arrays.ino]() demonstrates the use of the copyToArray() function. 
 
 ## Limitations
 

examples/Arrays/Arrays.ino

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#include "CircularBuffer.h"
+
+// Create a circular buffer with a capacity of 10
+const int bufferSize = 10;
+CircularBuffer<int, bufferSize> buffer;
+
+void setup() {
+    // start serial
+    Serial.begin(9600);
+    while(!Serial); // Wait for the serial port to come online
+
+    // Add some values to the buffer
+    for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i) {
+        buffer.push(2*i);
+    }
+
+    // Create an array to hold the buffer's contents
+    int array[bufferSize];
+
+    // Copy the buffer's contents to the array
+    buffer.copyToArray(array);
+
+    // Now array contains the same values as the buffer
+    for (int i = 0; i < bufferSize; ++i) {
+        Serial.print("Buffer: ");
+        Serial.print(buffer[i]); 
+        Serial.print(", Array: ");
+        Serial.println(array[i]);
+    }
+}
+
+void loop() {
+  // Nothing to do here
+}