Re: [boost] [SoC] Interest of a plugin library

From: Jeremy Pack (rostovpack_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-03-13 12:56:00

Did you check out the code that I put up at
http://sourceforge.net/projects/boost-extension/? I'm currently working on
the documentation and unit tests for it (there are a few unit tests in it
already). It should run on OS X, Windows and *nixes.

I actually work for Google, so I can help out with SoC.

I really would not mind assistance with the library - this is only one of a
few projects that I'm working on in my free time. I'm especially interested
in any new ideas.

The library needs:

1 - More unit tests
2 - Performance analysis
3 - Good documentation

I've thought of the following possible extensions for the library:

1 - A mechanism for, optionally, automatically closing linked libraries when
they are no longer needed.
2 - An option to not use RTTI, which is currently required (there are
various ways to do this - there have been suggestions to use some of the
features in Boost.Serialization, and there are various slightly hacky
techniques for it).
3 - Other bits of expanded linked library functionality.

I built very full featured versions of the library earlier, but decided in
the end that a very clean, extensible interface was more important. So I
started from scratch about a month ago, resulting in what you see on
Sourceforge.

What features do you think are important?

Jeremy Pack

On 3/13/07, Hartmut Kaiser <hartmut.kaiser_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>
>
> Mariano Consoni wrote:
>
> > > I think it's a plausible idea although there has already ben some
> > > proposal in this area.
> > >
> > > http://lists.boost.org/Archives/boost/2007/02/117030.php
> > >
> > > http://sourceforge.net/projects/boost-extension/
> > >
> > > That said, it might make it more reasonable to bring things to
> > > completion within the SoC time frame, so I wouldn't rule it
> > out at this point.
> >
> > First, thanks for your answer.
> >
> > I didn't know the existence of that library... I think that
> > it is very similar to my idea.. so.. maybe someone with more
> > experience in the boost community could give me advice about
> > how to apply to improve that idea?
> >
> > In any case, please do consider applying -- there are lots of possible
> > > projects and folks are definitely willing to help you get something
> > > that will work.
> > >
> > I really want to apply, but I want to write a good proposal
> > according to the feasibility of the project.. so if there is
> > in the list anybody that could me help giving advice of what
> > should be done to improve that library, or to write other,
> > please contact me.
>
> I'ld be happy to help here. I'm using a slightly modified early version of
> a
> similar library (initially written by Vladimir Prus, here:
> http://tinyurl.com/3xeqzr) for quite some time now and I think we need
> something related in Boost! A good starting point would be an analysis of
> the existing libraries to be able to define a suitable API and the related
> functionality (Jeffs mentioned boost.extension already containing a good
> overview). I think the required effort to write such a library makes it a
> good candidate for SoC.
>
> Regards Hartmut
>
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