[boost] Re: Detection of wchar_t for Intel compiler

From: Giovanni Bajo (giovannibajo_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-01-27 13:42:20

Guillaume Melquiond wrote:

> There was a recent change to the config/compiler/intel.hpp file in
> order  to change (one more time) the way the detection of wchar_t works.

I did it, and discussed it on this very list.

> So I've committed a trivial fix to CVS head. However it was a bit
> annoying to note that a patch had been committed to such an important
> place carefreely (otherwise the bug would have been found). This is my
> first concern: the configuration of a compiler had been changed
> without even being tested.

You're implying way too much. There was a typo on my part, sure, but it wasn't
detected under Windows. I *did* test it, and we did discuss the patch on the
list. I never commit untested patches.

> Second concern: since the patch was not tested on this
> compiler/platform configuration, is it sure it behaves sanely?

Please, review our discussion on the topic.

> Sincethere was a lot of
> changes in this area, shouldn't a specific test file be added in order
> to finally ensure the correct detection of wchar_t? I can also
> directly exercise some testcases if provided; I can test with ICC 7
> and 8 for Linux.

We need to do a detection through the preprocessor.

> Finally, my third concern: shouldn't such changes be committed to the
> release branch since they directly involve the configuration of an
> existing compiler?

Again, please review the discussion. I told that I would commit it to the
release branch after a few days, to not destabilize the branch. In fact, I was
awaiting fallouts on different platforms, just like the one you fixed. If I had
committed it to the release branch immediatly, I would have broken it as well.

> Sorry for this long mail, but since release time draws near, I wanted
> to point out this problem.

Thank you for the fix.
-- 
Giovanni Bajo