Re: [boost] Interest in a small array count facility?

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-06-25 17:43:26

Gennaro Prota <gennaro_prota_at_[hidden]> writes:

> On Sun, 25 Jun 2006 11:37:51 -0400, David Abrahams
> <dave_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>
>>The biggest argument for such a mechanism is that it should be more
>>foolproof.  I hope it causes a compile error if "array" turns out to
>>be a pointer.
>
> Yes, of course. 

In that case, yes, it's very much worth including.  Everytime I write
sizeof(a)/sizeof(a[0]) I think "I know there's a better way to do
this, but I don't have the time right now..."  Libraries save us from
that sort of cognitive dissonance when coding.

> I've reattached an implementation I proposed here a
> couple of years ago. The reason why I'm asking is basically that it
> would require some "somersault" to make it work with VC6 and other
> broken compilers, so I woldn't spend time on that if there is no
> interest.

That somersault is easy enough (although I've forgotten what it was
exactly, there's an easy workaround).

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