Re: [boost] RFC: Boost.XML API prototype in the sandbox

From: Stefan Seefeld (seefeld_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-07-09 21:11:29

Jake Voytko wrote:

> I'm looking through the example code and I have a few questions.
> 
> - Is it possible to have parameters in the tags? For example:
> 
>     element_ptr g_elem = root->insert_element("g");
>     g_elem->add_parameter("stroke_color", "red");
> 
> produces:
> 
> <g stroke_color = "red">
> ..
> </g>
> 
> Is this what append_element() does, or is there another function to do this?

What you call a 'parameter' is actually called an 'attribute', and it gets
set like

g_elem->set_parameter("stroke_color", "red");

(it can't be "added" since it may only exist once. Thus, you can set and unset it.)

> - The operator->() syntax.. It would appear that you did this because all of
> the elements act as pointers. However, I feel that some of the operations

precisely.

> are unclear as to why they should be implemented using the -> syntax
> 
>     my_elem -> write_to_file("my_file.xml"), for example.

'write_to_file' is a method of 'document', not 'element'. The reason why
I expect applications to hold document pointers is that they often get
instantiated by a parser (acting as a factory).

> - Also, how far does the pointer analogy carry? If I call
> 
>     ++my_elem();
> 
> does this go to the next child of my_elem->parent()?

No. an element doesn't have iterator semantics.

> I second the call for documentation from Mathias. This nonwithstanding, good
> work so far!

Thanks ! And yes, I will do my best to write some documentation (beside
some API reference that can be readily extracted via synopsis or doxygen).

Thanks for the feedback,
                Stefan

-- 
      ...ich hab' noch einen Koffer in Berlin...