[boost] Boost.Logging hex dumps (Was: Boost.Logging: formal review)

From: Vladimir Prus (ghost_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-11-15 02:59:07

John Torjo wrote:

>>>>3. Design: hexdump
>>>>I believe log library needs to provide support for dumping
>>>
>>>memory in hex
>>>
>>>>format on log file. It could be an addon to core functionality.
>>>>
>>>
>>>I can add this, even though I'm not sure why you'd want this.
>> 
>> 
>> Yes, Yes, I use the log file for an error log. Being able to do a raw
>> (hex) dump of the offending packet would be very useful for postmortem
>> analysis - provided this functionality could still be available in the
>> light-weight version :/
>> 
> 
> Ok, will do.

But note that will can bloat the library. Showing hex data is a much harder
thing that it seems, just look at the amount of suggestions made by
KDevelop users: http://lists.kde.org/?t=112549947100004&r=1&w=2

(BTW, some of the wanted hexdumps exactly for looking at network packets,
just like Matt mentions in the previous email).

I'd suggest supporting some very simple format, and resisting all user
requests to extend it. A separate GUI tool might be better suited for
showing hex dumps.

- Volodya