Re: [boost] Interest in a "Heterogenous Container" system?

Subject: Re: [boost] Interest in a "Heterogenous Container" system?
From: Stewart, Robert (Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-07-31 13:17:20

Mathias Gaunard wrote:
> Stewart, Robert wrote:
>
> > Yes, containers of shared_ptrs would work, but they add
> > overhead that isn't always wanted.
>
> Then use containers of unique_ptr, like you should (shared_ptr

"like you should" is a rather strong statement.

> is meant for shared ownership or making it easy to fix broken
> code), or use the boost pointer containers if you can't (which
> move semantics mostly render obsolete).  You could
> alternatively use boost.any, adobe.poly, clone_ptr, or whatever
> is relevant.

All of those schemes mean that the container interface is in terms of those wrapper types rather than raw pointers.  They will work, but they complicate the code using the elements.  I'm not suggesting that is onerous, but the interface isn't as simple.

> > The heterogeneous containers, being implemented as class
> > templates, need only be defined in terms of operations
> > supported by its parameterizing types.
>
> This merely looks like a container of Adobe.Poly.

I've never used anything from the Adobe library.  You may be right, but why shouldn't Boost provide a clean solution for itself?

_____
Rob Stewart                           robert.stewart_at_[hidden]
Software Engineer, Core Software      using std::disclaimer;
Susquehanna International Group, LLP  http://www.sig.com

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