RE: [boost] File naming

From: Fernando Cacciola (fcacciola_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-09-18 13:19:49

----- Original Message -----
From: Beman Dawes <bdawes_at_[hidden]>
To: <boost_at_[hidden]>; <boost_at_[hidden]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2001 1:16 PM
Subject: Re: [boost] File naming

> At 06:57 PM 9/15/2001, Rainer Deyke wrote:
>  >----- Original Message -----
>  >From: "JJ" <john_at_[hidden]>
>  >To: <boost_at_[hidden]>
>  >Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2001 2:46 PM
>  >Subject: [boost] File naming
>  >
>  >
>  >> Question: Why are the header files named using .hpp rather than .h or
> no
>  >> extension?
>  >
>  >The purpose of file extensions is to communicate the "type" of the file,
>  >both to humans and to computer programs.  The '.h' extension is used for
> C
>  >header files, and therefore communicates the wrong thing when used for
> C++
>  >header files.  Using no extension communicates nothing and forces you to
>  >look at the file contents to determine its type.  Using '.hpp'
>  >unambiguously identifies as C++ header file.
>  >
>  >At least, that's my reasoning for why I use the '.hpp' extension.  I was
>  >not involved in choosing a naming convention for Boost.
>
> That's pretty close to the original reasoning, IIRC.  Plus .hpp seems to
> work well in actual practice.
>
> I've added the question with your (edited a bit) response to the FAQ.
>
> --Beman
>
I'd like to add that there is a very important reason why it is convenient
to differentiate between C and C++ headers: although C++ derived from C,
they are currently *different languages with (sliglty) different rules*.

Fernando Cacciola
Sierra s.r.l.
fcacciola_at_[hidden]
www.gosierra.com