RE: [boost] Proposal for lexical_cast/lexical_convert

From: Fernando Cacciola (fcacciola_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-01-25 11:07:09

RE: [boost] Proposal for lexical_cast/lexical_convertSorry about the previous post, I hit the wrong key!

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Björn Karlsson 
  To: 'boost_at_[hidden]' 
  Sent: Friday, January 25, 2002 12:58 PM
  Subject: RE: [boost] Proposal for lexical_cast/lexical_convert

  > From: Fernando Cacciola [mailto:fcacciola_at_[hidden]] 
  > 
  > I think this would be really useful, but I would use a 
  > different signature: 
  > 
  >    template<typename Target, typename Source> 
  >    Target lexical_convert(Source arg, bool* succeeded = 0 )  ; 
  > 
  > This has some advantages: 
  > 
  > 1) You don't have to remember which parameter, first or second, is the 
  > source/target. 
  > 2) It looks closer to any other convertion function in that 
  > it returns the 
  > converted value. 
  > 3) You can use it ignoring the boolean flag in cases you 
  > don't care to test 
  > if it succeeded at all 
  >     (that's why the boolean parameter is a pointer and not a 
  > reference) 
  > 

  Alas, there's also a downside to this approach - the type of Target cannot be deduced. 

True.

Anyway, most casts require explicit targeting, so I think that the advantages outweigh this limitation.

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