[boost] static templates in BOOST

From: Steve Clamage (Stephen.Clamage_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-07-06 09:30:26

We recently corrected the way our compiler (Sun C++) handles static templates, 
and ran into a problem with some BOOST code. More than 100 tests in the suite 
depend on code like this:

template <typename T>
struct S
{
   void foo(int);
};

template<class T , class U>
static                              // static template ...
void smart_cast_reference(U& u)
{}

template <typename T>
void S<T>::foo(int c)
{
   smart_cast_reference< T& >(c);  // used in global function
}

int main()
{
   S<int> s;
   s.foo(1);
}

You can't use a static template in a global template function because it 
violates the One-Definition Rule, among possibly other rules. I have found that 
other compilers accept this code, but reject it when you put them in 
standard-conformning mode. (To see the rejection with some compilers, you need 
to build the executable.)

How critical to BOOST is this style of coding? Could the static templates be 
made global?

---
Steve Clamage, stephen.clamage_at_[hidden]