Re: [Boost-users] [random] Singleton engine

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] [random] Singleton engine
From: Kevin Martin (kev82_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-08-17 06:10:33

On 17 Aug 2009, at 10:44, Diederick C. Niehorster wrote:

> It doesn't add only two symbols though, it adds:

> generator_

This should not be exported, in fact exporting this defeats the  
purpose of having generator and setGenerator. It should be in it's own  
compilation unit with static linkage and not in a header file visible  
to anything else.

> grng_setGenerator()

This is one symbol

> grng_generator()

This is another symbol

> grng_randomVariable()

This is a template function and is recompiled in every compilation  
unit where it is used. I have never checked, but I always assumed that  
the compiler would inline it, so it shouldn't even be a function,  
never mind an exported symbol. However, you are right that it does add  
an extra name you can't use, I was thinking in terms of exported  
symbols.

> or do you put those in their own namespace?

I've still not really got to grips with when to put things in  
namespaces and when not to. At the moment I only tend to use a  
namespace if I have a large collection of classes constituting a  
module. The grng_ prefix is kind of like a namespace to remind me what  
the functions are for because a global function setGenerator and  
generator are not very specific and likely to introduce collisions. I  
don't think it would cause any harm to put them in their own namespace  
though.

> Thanks again, I've been enlightened.

Glad I could help

Thanks,
Kevin Martin