RE: [boost] Formal Review: Template Metaprogramming Library (MPL) - the paper

From: Paul A. Bristow (boost_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-07-24 08:29:57

I have read the paper.  My brain hurts :-(

(But then it also hurt when reading Modern C++ Design, by Andrei
Alexandrescu!)

As I progressed, I was more and more convinced, (though my brain hurt more!)

The examples are (correctly) fully scoped but boost:: and mpl:: clutters and
confuses.

May I suggest three things to help:

1  Use colour (red?) to highlight the important bits like if_, apply_if ...
(I thought of this before Scott Meyers but he wrote the book first!)

2  Use comments // in pseudo-code at the end of each line

3  'Expand' the code to show what 'real' C++ you get with a sample
'parameter value' or two.

And then write a book of overcommented examples - C++++?

Paul

PS I am left feeling that weakness of the language is part of my struggles
to understand.

It could be so much simple and _truly_ obvious if, for example, one could
write

"if (i == int) or if (i == double)"

or "type = T1" instead of "typedef T1 type"

As the Irishman replied when asked the way - "I wouldn't start from here."
But sadly we are here and this looks the least worst way forward.

Dr Paul A Bristow, hetp Chromatography
Prizet Farmhouse, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 8AB  UK
[phone]  Mobile [phone]
mailto:pbristow_at_[hidden]

> The MPL documentation may be found within the above archive and
> may also be
> viewed online at:
>   http://www.mywikinet.com/mpl/
>