Re: [boost] Exception lib?

From: Dean Michael Berris (mikhailberis_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-07-05 17:59:01

On 7/6/06, Emil Dotchevski <emildotchevski_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>
> Please let's keep this to the point. There are no const_casts in the
> proposed Boost Exception library. If you think that the dynamic_cast can be
> avoided, I'm very much interested to hear how. If you think the need for
> dynamic_cast is a result of poor library design, I'm very much interested to
> hear about any improvement ideas.
>

Right now, I still haven't thought of a way to use some other facility
aside from dynamic_cast<> but my point is more for abstraction and
readability on the client code. The added abstraction will also allow
you (and whoever will think of a way for bypassing the use of
dynamic_cast) to change the implementation without having to worry
about client code breaking.

I'll probably do some of my own tests to figure out a way of possibly
implementing the intended behavior without resorting to using a
dynamic_cast<>. But for now, my concern remains to be the API by which
the exception lib will be used/presented.

It will also make the documentation much more readable and more
informative IMO (and easier on the eyes) by removing the
dynamic_cast<> and putting it in a macro/template abstraction. If the
documentation didn't ever mention the use of dynamic_cast<>, then the
users wouldn't even try attempting a dynamic_cast<> by themselves
(unless they actually want to read the abstraction layer providing the
functionality, which is a very rare case) -- and I for one wouldn't
make too much a fuss about it.

HTH

-- 
Dean Michael C. Berris
C/C++ Software Architect
Orange and Bronze Software Labs
http://3w-agility.blogspot.com/
http://cplusplus-soup.blogspot.com/
Mobile: [phone]
Email: dean [at] orangeandbronze [dot] com