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

From: Stefan Seefeld (seefeld_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-07-11 15:02:48

Mathias Gaunard wrote:
> Stefan Seefeld wrote:
> 
>> I would appreciate if anybody interested into a future boost.xml
>> submission would have a look, provide feedback, or even get
>> involved into the (ongoing) development.
> 
> I have to admit I am a bit confused by the interface.
> 
> For example, the first thing I see is that all nodes are actually 
> pointers. Of course, they don't really appear as pointers, but they are.

A word on terminology: A node is a node, not a node pointer. However,
the thing that a user accesses is a node pointer. The reason for this
is simple: resource management is handled by the library, not the user.

> If I copy a node object, both copies still reference the same node.

What do you mean by 'copy' ? Are you sure you copy the node, not the
node pointer ? (If the reference the same node, it's the pointer you
copy, so everything is consistent, once you adjust your terminology :-) )

> While it is natural for the node_ptr type, it is not really for the node 
> one. (to be honest, I don't really understand their relationship after a 
> few minutes looking at the code)
> 
> Plus, we're stuck with a pseudo-upcasting thingy (which cannot return 
> NULL/valid pointer and necessarily throws) instead of a nicer visitation 
> mechanism.
> 
> There doesn't seem to be an iteration/cursor mechanism that can iterate 
> through the whole tree either, like boost.tree has.

The example code contais a traversal class to do that. Something like
that should eventually make it into the API proper.

Regards,
                Stefan

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