Re: [boost] Defining compilers suggestion

From: Tobias Schwinger (tschwinger_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-07-10 15:28:55

Edward Diener wrote:
> Tobias Schwinger wrote:
> 
>>Edward Diener wrote:
>>
>>
>>>It would be much easier, and less confusing, when looking at compiler 
>>>workarounds in Boost code if their were defines for various 
>>>compilers/versions in a configuratiion header file such as:
>>>
>>>#define BOOST_COMPILER_SOME_COMPILER_LOWER (PREPROCESSOR_TAG >= nnnn)
>>>#define BOOST_COMPILER_SOME_COMPILER_UPPER (PREPROCESSOR_TAG <= nnnn)
>>>#define BOOST_COMPILER_SOME_COMPILER (BOOST_COMPILER_SOME_COMPILER_LOWER 
>>>&& BOOST_COMPILER_SOME_COMPILER_UPPER)
>>>
>>>where SOME_COMPILER might be VC71,GCC40 etc.
>>>
>>>Then in code one could see:
>>>
>>>#if defined(BOOST_COMPILER_VC71) etc.
>>>
>>>rather than the less understandable
>>>
>>>#if defined(MSC_VER == nnnn) etc.
>>>
>>>I would just like to see more readability in the Boost code regarding 
>>>compiler workarounds. I am also aware their is a workaround macro, but 
>>>even that deals in compiler preprocessor tags rather than a more 
>>>readable compiler version. I am aware that many workarounds have to deal 
>>>with versions before or after a certain version number but even that can 
>>>be made more readable by macros which tell one the actual compiler which 
>>>is involved.
>>>
>>>I realize I am just a reader of Boost code and not a Boost developer but 
>>>I think this suggestion would make for a little more readable code in 
>>>its own small way.
>>>
>>
>>
>>How about these?
>>
>>   #define BOOST_COMPILER_WITH_VERSION(compiler,version) \
>>     (compiler == version)
>>
>>   #define BOOST_COMPILER_ABOVE_VERSION(compiler,version) \
>>     (compiler > version)
>>
>>   #define BOOST_COMPILER_FROM_VERSION(compiler,version) \
>>     (compiler >= version)
>>
>>   #define BOOST_COMPILER_BELOW_VERSION(compiler,version) \
>>     ((compiler != 0) && (compiler < version))
>>
>>   #define BOOST_COMPILER_UP_TO_VERSION(compiler,vesionr) \
>>     ((compiler != 0) && (compiler <= version))
>>
>>   #define BOOST_COMPILER_FROM_TO_VERSION(compiler,min_version,max_version) \
>>     ((compiler != 0) && ((compiler >= min_version) && (compiler <= max_version)))
>>
>>Example:
>>
>>   #if BOOST_COMPILER_BELOW_VERSION(BOOST_MSVC,1400)
>>     ...
>>   #endif
> 
> 
> No, you have missed my entire point. I want a specific compiler version, 
> by a name which everybody knows, ie. VC71, BCB6 etc., to be associated 
> with the preprocessor tags which the compiler vendor uses to specify 
> that version of the compiler, ie. MSC_VER, __BORLANDC__, in such a way 
> that the code in Boost which provides workarounds or specific code for a 
> given compiler, actually refers to a macro which easily identities that 
> compiler. Your macros above just duplicate the difficulty which already 
> exists in Boost in identifying a well-known name for a compiler/version 
> with the preprocessor macro used in Boost to identify it.

Either way, it's the minimal set of comparison operations, IMO. Per-compiler for 
your proposal then.