Re: [boost] Is there any interest in a library which solves C++ class reflection feature just like Java does?

Subject: Re: [boost] Is there any interest in a library which solves C++ class reflection feature just like Java does?
From: Dean Michael Berris (mikhailberis_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-12-06 06:47:09

On Tue, Dec 6, 2011 at 12:40 PM, jinhua luo <ljh.home.king_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> In brief, I'd designed and implemented somehow C++ class reflection based
> on boost libraries.
> It has some unique advantages:
> a) it doesn't require code generator

Interesting. Have you thought about how this would be better
implemented as part of the compiler, so that you don't have to
actually explicitly reflect a type using macros?

> b) platform independent and compiler independent (I tested it on Windows
> and Linux, with vs2008 and gcc respectively)

I guess since this is all runtime values, as long as you're using
standard C++ it shouldn't be a problem. Interesting to note anyway.

> c) it's non-intrusive for the class definition, instead, you just need to
> declare and describe your class via some straightforward macros anywhere
> (header file or source file, and may be within any namespace), which also
> means you can wrap an external third-party library (which you have no way
> to touch the source codes) and reflects it classes.

I like this.

> d) Cross shared library boundary, you can dynamic load the shared library
> and reflect the classes within it, without need to export any symbol
> manunally in C wrapper function way

Cool

> e) the API looks like Java reflection API

Okay, this part I'm not excited about.

I have two questions here:

1) How do you handle invalidation of objects that are instantiated
from a certain type that's reflected when the reflected type changes?
How do you handle say when a new method is added? How do you handle
changing method signatures?

2) In case of a name collision, how does your library behave?

I'm interested because I'm working on a paper that addresses this
issue with changes to the language in mind. It's interesting to see
yet another way people are solving this with a library solution.

Cheers

-- 
Dean Michael Berris
http://goo.gl/CKCJX