Re: [boost] [filesystem] Function name changes

From: Vladimir Prus (vladimir_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-07-04 10:38:20

Beman Dawes wrote:

> David Abrahams wrote:
>> Beman Dawes wrote:
>>> David Abrahams wrote:
>>>
>>>> FWIW, though I think it's probably a good idea to use base_name as you
>>>> are suggesting, I was much less attached to the idea of using it to mean
>>>> what is currently called leaf() than I was opposed to the idea of using
>>>> it to mean something else, if you catch my drift :-)
>>> Ah! Understood.
>>>
>>>> So one other option that avoids the above issues (not that I'm pushing
>>>> this route) is to pick another name for what you currently call leaf().
>>> Let's say branch_path() is changed to parent_path(). That suggests a
>>> full set of names based on the parent/child decomposition of a path:
>>>
>>> * Change branch()    to parent_path()
>>> * Change leaf()      to child()
>>> * Change basename()  to child_prefix()
>>> * Change extension() to child_extension()
>>>
>>> At first glance, those names seem reasonable clear and self-consistent.
>>>
>>> What's your take on that set?
>> 
>> Well, "parent" describes a relationship between the path being operated
>> on and the result.  "Child," on the other hand, does not.  So that
>> doesn't work for me.  I would prefer "parent" and "filename."  I would
>> prefer "drop_extension" and "extension," although I rather liked
>> Volodya's "stem" suggestion.
> 
> I like "stem" too.
> 
> Trying to put that all together:
> 
> * Change branch()   to  parent_path()
> * Change leaf()     to  file_name()

Why is "file" there? Path of "a/b/c" can refer to either file,
or directory. Does "file" bring undesired connotation that the
path refers to file?

> * Change basename() to  stem()
> * extension()  remains  extension()

'stem' is linguistic term, whereas 'extension' is not. To be
consistent, it's better to use 'suffix', not 'extension'. Furthermore,
I do think we need to pay attention to Qt's suffix vs. completeSuffix
distinction -- it seems useful one.

- Volodya