Re: [boost] Review : format2, yet another 'printf class'

From: Dan Nuffer (dnuffer_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-06-30 14:09:38

Samuel Krempp wrote:
> 
> > I like the function approach, mostly because that's what I've been using for
> > the last 6 months :-)  I think that the code just looks more obvious with
> > what it's doing.  It's also easy to learn and understand.  I also see the
> 
> okay, I can imagine you're used to it by now.
> But :
> cout << format(" $1 $2 $3", x, y, z) << endl;
> cout << format(" $1 $2 $3") %x %y %z << endl;
> 

But what about:
logMessage(format("Error: $1", errStr));
vs.
logMessage((format("Error: $1") % errStr).str());

The second one just looks weird.  Now, imagine someone who is not
familiar with the format class, comes along and needs to maintain the
code.  I think the first version is easier to understand, the second
version, they will think, "What does that % do?!?"  
To quote from the proposed boost coding guidelines: "13.2. Operator
overloading should reflect recognizable idioms."
I think I'm safe saying that most people understand % to mean modulus.

> once you know what this funny % operator does here, both forms are very,
> very similar, aren't they ?

Yeah, it just the "funny % operator" that I don't like.

--Dan Nuffer