+std::string Util::CreateUniqueUID(const std::string &root)
+{
+ std::string prefix = root;
+ std::string append;
+ if( root.empty() )
+ {
+ // No root was specified use "GDCM" then
+ // echo "gdcm" | od -b
+ // 0000000 147 144 143 155 012
+ prefix = "147.144.143.155"; // special easter egg
+ }
+ // else
+ // A root was specified use it to forge our new UID:
+ append += ".";
+ append += Util::GetMACAddress();
+ append += ".";
+ //append += Util::GetCurrentDate();
+ //append += ".";
+ //append += Util::GetCurrentTime();
+ append += Util::GetCurrentDateTime();
+
+ // If append is too long we need to rehash it
+ if( (prefix + append).size() > 64 )
+ {
+ gdcmErrorMacro( "Size of UID is too long." );
+ // we need a hash function to truncate this number
+ // if only md5 was cross plateform
+ // MD5(append);
+ }
+
+ return prefix + append;
+}
+
+unsigned int Util::GetCurrentThreadID()
+{
+// FIXME the implementation is far from complete
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) || defined(__BORLANDC__) || defined(__MINGW32__)
+ return (unsigned int)GetCurrentThreadId();
+#endif
+#ifdef __linux__
+ return 0;
+ // Doesn't work on fedora, but is in the man page...
+ //return (unsigned int)gettid();
+#endif
+#ifdef __sun
+ return (unsigned int)thr_self();
+#endif
+}
+
+unsigned int Util::GetCurrentProcessID()
+{
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) || defined(__BORLANDC__) || defined(__MINGW32__)
+ // NOTE: There is also a _getpid()...
+ return (unsigned int)GetCurrentProcessId();
+#else
+ // get process identification, POSIX
+ return (unsigned int)getpid();
+#endif
+
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief
+ * @param os ostream to write to
+ * @param val val
+ */
+template <class T>
+std::ostream &binary_write(std::ostream &os, const T &val)
+{
+ return os.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(&val), sizeof val);
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief binary_write binary_write
+ * @param os ostream to write to
+ * @param val val
+ */
+std::ostream &binary_write(std::ostream &os, const uint16_t &val)
+{
+#ifdef GDCM_WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+ uint16_t swap;
+ swap = ((( val << 8 ) & 0x0ff00 ) | (( val >> 8 ) & 0x00ff ) );
+ return os.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(&swap), 2);
+#else
+ return os.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(&val), 2);
+#endif //GDCM_WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief binary_write binary_write
+ * @param os ostream to write to
+ * @param val val
+ */
+std::ostream &binary_write(std::ostream &os, const uint32_t &val)
+{
+#ifdef GDCM_WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+ uint32_t swap;
+ swap = ( ((val<<24) & 0xff000000) | ((val<<8) & 0x00ff0000) |
+ ((val>>8) & 0x0000ff00) | ((val>>24) & 0x000000ff) );
+ return os.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(&swap), 4);
+#else
+ return os.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(&val), 4);
+#endif //GDCM_WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief binary_write binary_write
+ * @param os ostream to write to
+ * @param val val
+ */
+std::ostream &binary_write(std::ostream &os, const char *val)
+{
+ return os.write(val, strlen(val));
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief
+ * @param os ostream to write to
+ * @param val val
+ */
+std::ostream &binary_write(std::ostream &os, std::string const &val)
+{
+ return os.write(val.c_str(), val.size());
+}
+
+} // end namespace gdcm
+