Re: [boost] GUI foundations

From: Andy Little (andy_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-10-04 06:28:09

"John Torjo" <john.lists_at_[hidden]> wrote in message 
news:43426645.30304_at_torjo.com...
>
>>
>>>I might go further  and add units (maybe defaulting to pixels)
>>>
>>>typedef gui::rect<px,int> rect 1;
>>>typedef gui::rect<pc,double> rect 2;
>>>typedef gui:rect<mm,int> rect 3;
>>
>>
>> That looks great :)!
>>
>
> I disagree. I think you should stick to only one type (probably float
> for now, and eventually allow overriding it -- but, use this
> consistently throughout the app).

With all due respect users wont like having one style forced on them. Making the 
value_type a template is trivial.

> Just think of the many places you'll need to deal with geometry
> (rectangle/point/size), and converting from one type of unit (px to cm,
> cm to in, etc) to another.

It seems like you are suggesting that users will go mad and use arbitrary units 
all over the place just for the fun of it. I would guess that most developers 
will use one unit that they are comfortable with. Conversion is common  where 
units are chosen by the application user . Most conversions would be to - from 
pixels. Typically its the Americans ask to work in inches.  Its actually trivial 
to convert anyway. I dont really see what the fuss is about.

> And, about usability in code. Why would I want in my program,  both:
> gui::rect<pc,double> and gui::rect<pc,int> ?
> This IMHO would confuse users of the library.

If you work in percent then usually you are happy with the granularity as an 
integer between 0 and 100. Why use a float.?  Actually I would  also like to 
have another unit which normalised the window dimensions to x= 1. and y =1. 
Floats would make perfect sense then.

regards
Andy Little