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: Matus Chochlik (chochlik_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-12-06 07:09:51

On Tue, Dec 6, 2011 at 2:40 AM, jinhua luo <ljh.home.king_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> Hi,

Hi,
>
> In brief, I'd designed and implemented somehow C++ class reflection based
> on boost libraries.

Did you have a look at the Mirror reflection utilities ?

> It has some unique advantages:
> a) it doesn't require code generator

Good, but it is not so unique

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

Nice,

> 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.

This is not unique either

> 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

I believe (and I have some expertise in using and implementing reflection
in C++ to base that belief upon) that the basic reflection should
compile-time and any run-time reflection should be built on top
of that.

> e) the API looks like Java reflection API

I don't think that this is a good idea, and I've seen several
(scientific) papers where people don't think it either.

BR

Matus