Re: [boost] [filesystem] : basic_path : Feature request

Subject: Re: [boost] [filesystem] : basic_path : Feature request
From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-02-06 12:07:48

On Fri, Feb 6, 2009 at 9:56 AM, Rob <robrimmer_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> Whilst using filesystem::path (v1.37) , I found I wanted the following
> functionality:
>
> Typedefs added for reference and const_reference and a push_back function,
> as follows
>
> typedef string_type& reference;
>
> typedef const string_type& const_reference;
>
> inline void push_back(const_reference path)
> {
> *this /= path;
> }
>
> This would allow use of std::back_inserter with stl algorithms such as
>
> Boost::filesystem::path src("dir1/./dir2");
>
> Boost::filesystem::path target;
>
> Std::remove_copy(src.begin(), src.end(), std::back_inserter(target), ".");

These seem like reasonable requests, although I'd have to check the
std::back_inserter to be 100% sure.

I'll probably target them for Boost.Filesystem Version 3.

Note however that path has some but not all of the characteristics of
a standard container. I'd want to see persuasive use cases for adding
functionality - just making path more like a std container without
good reason is likely to lead to interface bloat without offsetting
benefits.

> I would also like to see pop_back() but this may not be as simple to
> implement, I'll have to check the code.

A use case would make this more compelling.

> PS - My first post so I hope I'm on the right list, right message format,
> etc.

Looks good!

Thanks,

--Beman