encoding: Improving structure and documentation of block helpers

This commit add several new helpers to simplify operations with
std::string:

- prependStringBlock
- makeStringBlock
- readString

The following functions are deprecated and their replacements:

- nonNegativeIntegerBlock (use makeNonNegativeIntegerBlock)
- prependBooleanBlock (use prependEmptyBlock)
- booleanBlock (use makeEmptyBlock)
- dataBlock (use makeBinaryBlock)
- nestedBlock (use makeNestedBlock)

Change-Id: Ic595ae64fc9c80c2c04e5fde1d8812e8b9debd60
Refs: #2951
diff --git a/tests/unit-tests/encoding/block-helpers.t.cpp b/tests/unit-tests/encoding/block-helpers.t.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..01f0ddb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit-tests/encoding/block-helpers.t.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2015 Regents of the University of California.
+ *
+ * This file is part of ndn-cxx library (NDN C++ library with eXperimental eXtensions).
+ *
+ * ndn-cxx library is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * ndn-cxx library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+ * WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
+ * PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received copies of the GNU General Public License and GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License along with ndn-cxx, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see
+ * <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of ndn-cxx authors and contributors.
+ */
+
+#include "encoding/block-helpers.hpp"
+
+#include "boost-test.hpp"
+#include "name.hpp"
+
+namespace ndn {
+namespace encoding {
+namespace tests {
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(EncodingBlockHelpers)
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(NonNegativeInteger)
+{
+  Block b = makeNonNegativeIntegerBlock(100, 1000);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(b.type(), 100);
+  BOOST_CHECK_GT(b.value_size(), 0);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(readNonNegativeInteger(b), 1000);
+
+  BOOST_CHECK_THROW(readNonNegativeInteger(Block()), tlv::Error);
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(Empty)
+{
+  Block b = makeEmptyBlock(200);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(b.type(), 200);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(b.value_size(), 0);
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(String)
+{
+  Block b = makeStringBlock(100, "Hello, world!");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(b.type(), 100);
+  BOOST_CHECK_GT(b.value_size(), 0);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(readString(b), "Hello, world!");
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(Data)
+{
+  std::string buf1{1, 1, 1, 1};
+  const uint8_t buf2[]{1, 1, 1, 1};
+  std::list<uint8_t> buf3{1, 1, 1, 1};
+
+  Block b1 = makeBinaryBlock(100, buf1.data(), buf1.size());
+  Block b2 = makeBinaryBlock(100, buf2, sizeof(buf2));
+  Block b3 = makeBinaryBlock(100, buf1.begin(), buf1.end()); // fast encoding (random access iterator)
+  Block b4 = makeBinaryBlock(100, buf3.begin(), buf3.end()); // slow encoding (general iterator)
+
+  BOOST_CHECK(b1 == b2);
+  BOOST_CHECK(b1 == b3);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(b1.type(), 100);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(b1.value_size(), buf1.size());
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL_COLLECTIONS(b1.value_begin(), b1.value_end(),
+                                buf2, buf2 + sizeof(buf2));
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(Nested)
+{
+  Name name("ndn:/Hello/World!");
+  Block b1 = makeNestedBlock(100, name);
+
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(b1.type(), 100);
+  b1.parse();
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(b1.elements().size(), 1);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(b1.elements().begin()->type(), name.wireEncode().type());
+  BOOST_CHECK(*b1.elements().begin() == name.wireEncode());
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END() // EncodingBlockHelpers
+
+} // namespace tests
+} // namespace encoding
+} // namespace ndn