[boost] implicit_cast has been removed, but this is sad

From: Jens Theisen (jens.theisen_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-03-20 10:44:20

implicit_cast was once in cast.hpp, but as the comments says, it has 
been removed due to uncertain purpose. I have to purposes of which I am 
wondering how to do them otherwise:

1. take the address of the conversion
2. initialise a std::vector< int > with a boost::assign::list_of in a 
constructor initialiser

The latter is a bit subtle. list_of uses a templated conversion operator 
to containers (but technically everything) and std::vector's ctor are 
then all tried with taking converted arguments, which leads into an 
ambiguity. Using implicit_cast solves the problem, since then the 
constructor call to std::vector and the call to the conversion operator 
in list_of are both taken as user defined conversions, and there can 
only be one of them.

vector< int > v = list_of(1)(2); // works

vector< int > v(list_of(1)(2)); // ambiguous

ctor() : v(implicit_cast< vector< int > >(list_of(1)(2)))
{ } // ambiguous

ctor() : v(list_of(1)(2)) { } // ambiguous

Any thoughts on this?

Regards, Jens