Re: [boost] Library Proposal: Reflection for C++

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-02-04 22:42:14

Sebastian Redl <sebastian.redl_at_[hidden]> writes:

> David Abrahams wrote:
>
>>That might be easier than you think.  There's always 
>>
>>  system("c++ whatever.cpp...")
>>  
>>
> Still unportable. The MS compiler is called cl, the Borland one
> bcc. 

Of course, of course.  That's what configuration files are for.  Can't
you step back and see the bigger picture?

> What about different versions of GCC that might be called, and their 
> varying ABIs? 

What about them?

> How to know the exact object file format produced? 

Huh?  Who cares?

> What if the application doesn't have write access to a temporary
> directory to place source and object file in? For that matter, how
> does the application find out the temporary directory?

??  I was talking about doing code generation.  You're not going to
get far with generated code unless you can store it in a file.  You
make it sound like these are impossible programming problems, but
people solve them every day.  

> Yes, it's possible to invoke an installed compiler to produce object 
> code, but it creates a lot of problems on its own.

It causes no great problems.  There are systems that do it with great
success.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com