RE: [boost] Re: static sized strings

From: Reece Dunn (msclrhd_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-05-20 18:39:41

John Nagle wrote:
>   This looks rather complex for what it does.
>
>   It might be helpful to define the user-visible
>API first.  Then worry about the implementation.

The user-visible API that I am using is the basic_string API (C++98 21.3) 
along with operator const CharT *() and format( const CharT *, va_args ) to 
allow C-style string interoperability. There are also implementations of the 
C string API (string.h) to allow fixed_string to interface with C code.

The requirements for fixed_string are:
[1] prevent buffer overflow on a fixed capacity string (CharT[ n ]);
[2] provide a basic_string interface -- this is where part of the complexity 
comes in
[3] provide C-string functions (strcpy, strlen, etc.)
[4] allow functions to operate on variable-capacity strings without 
resorting to template code -- this is where the rest of the complexity comes 
in

My implementation meets the above requirements, although requirement [3] 
could be more fully implemented (I'm working on this). Requirements 2 and 3 
are interface (API) requirements, defined in the C++98 and C90 standards, 
while 1 and 4 are interface requirements.

Despite the basic_string interface being complex, I do not want to drop it 
(even if that would simplify the class considerably!)

However, if there is a simpler way to meet these requirements then I'd be 
happy to see what it is.

Regards,
Reece

_________________________________________________________________
Use MSN Messenger to send music and pics to your friends 
http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger