[boost] Re: Some remarks on PP docs

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-06-10 17:42:04

David Abrahams <dave_at_[hidden]> writes:

>> Data structures are an important topic and their representation isn't
>> fundamentally PP *library* specific. 
>> You might want to present the information on the representation of
>> data structures (and simple macros like a projection operator for
>> tuples and some sequences operations) here when you discuss
>> fundamental PP abstractions.
>
> I am not even trying to cover the whole PP library in this appendix,
> much less the topic of PP metaprogramming in general.  I am only
> covering the fundamental abstractions on which the PP operates in this
> section, not the things we can build with those.  The PP doesn't know
> anything about data structures.
>
>> I would also probably discuss how to implement primitives like IF and
>> WHILE using preprocessor macros at this point. 
>
> No way!  That's why this is an appendix.
>
>> The purpose being to show that the preprocessor is capable of
>> significant computation. 
>
> The high-level library operations do that very nicely, thank you.
>
>> I would also emphasize that the purpose of explaining the techniques
>> is not that people would roll their own versions, but simply to
>> deepen their understanding of the preprocessor.
>
> That's for *your* book ;-)

... but, thanks for the suggestions.  I don't mean to sound
ungrateful, but I'm really trying to limit this to a small-scale
practical overview of the things you need to know in order to get
started with the PP library.  "Understanding the preprocessor and PP
metaprogramming" is beyond the scope of the book.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
http://www.boost-consulting.com