Re: [boost] Endian library - request for comments

From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-06-02 11:24:40

"Christopher Kohlhoff" <chris_at_[hidden]> wrote in message 
news:20060601012008.72917.qmail_at_web32609.mail.mud.yahoo.com...
> Hi Beman,
>
> Beman Dawes <bdawes_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>> That said, I guess there could be an argument to expose the
>> templates for those who prefer them.
>
> Here's an argument for exposing templates:...

I am going to expose the templates - I'm made the code changes and am 
working on docs now.

> it allows the
> template parameter to propagate up into my own types. I'm
> thinking something like:
>
>  template <typename Endianness>
>  struct my_message
>  {
>    integer<4, Endianness> foo;
>    integer<2, Endianness> bar;
>    ...
>  };
>
> This permits me to write one function template to handle
> my_message structures in programs that need to deal with both
> little- and big-endian at runtime (i'm thinking "receiver makes
> right" protocols).
>
> With this scheme there should probably also be a type for native
> endianness so we could write:
>
>  my_message<endian::big> msg1;
>  my_message<endian::little> msg2;
>  my_message<endian::native> msg3;

Interesting.

> etc. In my opinion a similar argument applies to exposing the
> alignment as a template parameter.

Yeah. Those are separate classes now. Probably not too hard to wrap in a 
generative class template that takes endianness and alignment as template 
arguments and then just instantiates one of the current classes.

Anyone like to contribute such an animal?

--Beman