[boost] Filesystem convenience header

From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-12-13 09:27:35

In private email, Pavel Vozenilek has made an interesting suggestion:

 >   Maybe there should be separate
 >   library providing convenience operations over filesystem.
 >
 >   The library can be initially void with people adding
 >   what is itching them.
 >
 >   Such an library would not pretend great design, structure
 >   or fits-all, it could be simply growing collection
 >   of small independent routines one may or may not use.

It seems to me this is worthwhile. Rather than a separate library, I'd 
suggest a separate header, docs page, and test program within the 
filesystem structure. Say, <boost/filesystem/convenience.hpp>, etc.

An example Pavel gave would be a "read_file_contents_to_string()" function. 
I've needed such a function myself, but wouldn't want to clutter up the 
other filesystem headers and docs with it.  Yet it would be great to have 
it available somewhere.

Thoughts?

--Beman