Re: [boost] compile-time positional parameter formatter

From: Karl Nelson (kenelson_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-12-21 18:21:26

> I mentioned this in a message recently, and I actually think this 
> idea has quite a lot of potential.  Basically what I suggested is a 
> method for specifying a message format with positional parameters 
> that the compiler can parse.  That is, the format specification 
> itself constructs some sort of formatting object, that when 
> parameters are inserted into it constructs an object holding the 
> parameters, that when inserted into a stream unravels itself to 
> insert all the parameters and associated "in between" bits of text 
> into the stream in the right order.
> 
> I suggested something like
> 
> (P1 + " found " + P2 + " times in " + P3)

I think what you are proposing requires recompilation for each 
reordering (different langauge).  This is largely incompatible with
i18n efforts.  The solution we would like to have is for 
the system to use gettext to look in a database of messages
and grab translations at real time.  That way when you specify that
you have a locale of french, you don't have to have a separate binary
for that language.

Thus only runtime mechanisms are really being considered.

--Karl