[boost] Re: Formal Review: FOREACH macro

From: Arkadiy Vertleyb (vertleyb_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-05-04 17:49:08

"Andrei Alexandrescu (See Website For Email)"
<SeeWebsiteForEmail_at_[hidden]> wrote
> Arkadiy Vertleyb wrote:
> > Just out of curiosity: can you write a library that would require to
> > pre-process your user's C++ text with one of these tools, and then
convince
> > anybody to use this library?
> >
> > If Perl is better then C++ preprocessor, then it should become C++
> > preprocessor.  But it needs to be built-in, otherwise these are apples
> > against oranges.
>
> I was continuing the following discussion:
>
> Thorsten Ottosen: "Nevertheless, the preprocessor is a good way to
> generate some tedious code; just look inside boost.assign."
>
> Arkadiy Vertleyb: "And sometimes, I think, it's _the only_ way.  If you
> are interested, please take a look at typeof_internals.htm.zip in the
> boost sandbox file vault."
>
> Yours Truly: "The only way as long as you commit to not look outside
> C++." etc. etc.
>
> The previous context of the conversation was the preprocessor, not
> library construction. So I felt that within the conversation my
> perspective made sense. There are other ways to generate C++ code, and
> that's what I said and substantiated.

Well, I thought my mentioning of typeof_internals, as well as the fact that
this list _is_ about library construction makes it obvious that we are
discussing libraries.  Outside the context of library development, I would
not recommend anybody to use Boost PP (as well as template metaprogramming,
BTW).

> On the other hand, I agree with your point made in another post:
>
> "Preprocessor has an obvious advantage of availability to everybody.  I,
> for instance, am very reluctant in downloading/using tools.  I suspect
> many people are like this, too."
>
> But then if someone continued your argument with:
>
> "For example, you won't find on my development systems any of awk, sed,
> perl and I don't know how to use any of them. However, I am a pp lib
> expert."
>
> then I might opine that that person could reshuffle their priorities.
>
> Fair enough?

Yes, but what does it have to do with this discussion?  Can we convince our
users to preprocess their source code with awk?  Otherwise I don't
understand how the tools you mentioned can be relevant in this context.

Regards,
Arkadiy