Re: [boost] Boost.Format syntax

From: James Kanze (kanze_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-02-10 12:12:13

"David Abrahams" <david.abrahams_at_[hidden]> writes:

|>  > IMHO, this is the biggest problem with [].  The graphics don't
|>  > suggest anything.  (This is also why I like the named function,
|>  > with.  With says something.)

|>  It seems to me that "with" is almost devoid of semantic value. Any
|>  f(a, b, c) could be transformed into f.with(a).with(b).with(c) just
|>  as sensibly.  What does "with" suggest to you?

It's a linking work.  You're right that it could apply to just about any
f( a, b, c ).  It's the alternative that I use when the only way to get
f( a, b, c ) would be stdarg.h.  All that it suggests is that whatever f
is does whatever it does with a, b and c.

I definitely like the idea of supporting format( "...", a, b, c ) for up
to a certain number of parameters.  It wasn't available, or at least I
wasn't aware of it, when I developped my code.  I think, however, that
it is still useful for some sorts of objects which take an open-ended,
untyped list.

-- 
James Kanze                                mailto:kanze_at_[hidden]
Conseils en informatique orientée objet/
                    Beratung in objektorientierter Datenverarbeitung
Ziegelhüttenweg 17a, 60598 Frankfurt, Germany Tel. [phone]