modpol.orgs.request_params = {
    add_org = 1,
    delete = 0,
    add_member = 1,
    remove_member = 1
}

-- ================================
-- creates a new process linked to a request id
function modpol.orgs:create_process(request_id)
    local new_process = {
        object = "I am a process",
        request_id = request_id
    }

    -- linear search for empty process slots (lazy deletion)
    for k, v in ipairs(self.processes) do
        if v == 'deleted' then
            local empty_index = k
            break
        end
    end

    -- attempts to fill empty spots in list, otherwise appends to end
    if empty_index then
        self.processes[empty_index] = new_process
    else
        table.insert(self.processes, new_process)
    end
end

-- ===========================
-- compares to requests to see if they are identical
function modpol.orgs.comp_req(req1, req2)
    -- compares request type
    if req1.type ~= req2.type then
        return false
    else
        -- comparing parameters
        -- we can assume the number of params is the same as this is checked in the make_request func
        for k, v in ipairs(req1.params) do
            if v ~= req2.params[k] then
                return false
            end
        end
    end
    return true
end

-- ===============================
-- returns string of all active requests
function modpol.orgs:list_request()
    local str
    for id, req in ipairs(self.requests) do
        if str then 
            str = str .. '\n' .. req.type .. ' (' .. req.user .. ') '
        else 
            str = req.type .. ' (' .. req.user .. ') '
        end
    end
    return str
end

-- ================================
-- tries to make a request to the org
function modpol.orgs:make_request(request)
    -- makes sure the request has the valid number of parameters
    local num_params = modpol.orgs.request_params[request.type]

    if num_params == nil then 
        modpol.ocutil.log('Error in ' .. self.name .. ':make_request -> request type is invalid')
        return false 
    end
    
    -- num_params should equal zero at the end if request.params matches the num of params for that type
    for k, v in ipairs(request.params) do
        num_params = num_params - 1
    end 

    if num_params ~= 0 then
        modpol.ocutil.log('Error in ' .. self.name .. ':make_request -> request has invalid number of parameters') 
        return false 
    end

    -- checking to see if identical request already exists
    for k, v in ipairs(self.requests) do
        if self.comp_req(request, v) == true then
            modpol.ocutil.log('Error in ' .. self.name .. ':make_request -> request has already been made')
            return false
        end
    end

    -- checking to see if user is able to make request
    local requested_policy = self.policies[request.type]
    local parent_policy = modpol.orgs.get_org(self.parent).policies[request.type]

    -- tries to use org's policy table, defers to parent otherwise
    if not requested_policy then
        modpol.ocutil.log(request.type .. 'policy not found, deferring to parent org')
        requested_policy = parent_policy

        if not parent_policy then
            modpol.ocutil.log('Error in ' .. self.name .. ':make_request -> parent policy undefined')
            return false
        end
    end

    -- make sure user is allowed to make request
    if requested_policy.must_be_member and not self:has_member(request.user) then
        modpol.ocutil.log('Error in ' .. self.name .. ':make_request -> user must be org member to make this request')
        return false
    end

    -- linear search for empty process slots (lazy deletion)
    for k, v in ipairs(self.requests) do
        if v == 'deleted' then
            local empty_index = k
            break
        end
    end

    -- attempts to fill empty spots in list, otherwise appends to end
    local request_id = nil
    if empty_index then
        self.requests[empty_index] = request
        request_id = empty_index
    else
        table.insert(self.requests, request)
        -- finds end of list to return current request's id
        local count = 0
        for k, v in ipairs(self.requests) do 
            count = count + 1 
        end
        request_id = count
    end
    modpol.ocutil.log("Request made")

    return request_id
end