[boost] Re: Re: lightweight replacement for boost::format

From: Edward Diener (eddielee_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-04-21 19:34:33

Jeremy Maitin-Shepard wrote:
> "Edward Diener" <eddielee_at_[hidden]> writes:
>
>> [snip]
>
>> This can probably even be:
>
>> std::string msg((std::ostringstream() << "There have been " << users
>> << "users logged on so far").str());
>
> Unfortunately this is not possible, because operator<< returns a
> basic_ostream reference, not a stringstream reference.

OK, I see, Doing an .str() on a basic_ostream reference won't work. Maybe:

std::string msg((dynamic_cast<const std::ostringstream
&>(std::ostringstream() << "There have been " << users
<< "users logged on so far")).str());

but it begins to look a but ugly.

>
>> I have to admit that I don't understand any of the reasons for using
>> printf... functions or boost::format instead of the C++ string
>> streams. The latter seem much more natural and easier to me, and are
>> further supported by boost::lexical_cast to make trivial conversions
>> to and from strings even easier.
>
> Refer to my other posting for information on why printf-like
> mechanisms significantly aid translation.  Using the stringstream
> mechanism, translation requires modifying the source code, which is
> not at all practical.

OK, I haven't done much language or locale translation so I have no strong
opinion either way. I do see that printf like strings, with their embedded %
identifiers can be translated whole, whereas stream strings are often made
of fragments combined.