Re: [boost] Pointers to functors with boost::function?

From: Douglas Gregor (gregod_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-05-23 08:12:53

On Thursday 23 May 2002 08:11 am, Yitzhak Sapir wrote:
> This works with my compiler MSVC6.5 using the just released 1.28 library. 
> We haven't moved to it yet though.  In the older version library it doesn't
> work though.

FWIW, the feature was added in version 1.27.0.

> I'm still somewhat interested in whether pointers to functors are useful. 
> But I suppose it's less important if I can use boost::ref.

Pointers to function objects aren't supported because for a pointer to 
function object fp, you can't just write fp(...) to call the pointee. 
Basically, a pointer to function object is not itself a function object.

There's also a technical reason. If raw pointers are supported, smart pointers 
of all shapes and kinds should also be supported. So we either need more 
traits (e.g., pointer_traits) to determine if an arbitrary type is a pointer 
vs. a function object, and eventually it's so much work for the user that she 
might as well just write ref(*this).

        Doug