Re: [boost] [lexical_cast] A suggestion

Subject: Re: [boost] [lexical_cast] A suggestion
From: Gennaro Prota (gennaro.prota_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-02-08 16:42:51

David Abrahams wrote:
> on Mon Feb 02 2009, Alexander Nasonov <alnsn-AT-yandex.ru> wrote:
> 
>> Vladimir Batov <batov <at> people.net.au> writes:
>>
>>> With no volunteeres coming forward  , I am considering extending the 
>>> lexical_cast interface as described below. Is there any chance of that 
>>> change integrated?
>> I'm againt this change. See my other messages in this thread for details.
> 
> I am too.  Vladimir, I believe the functionality you want is badly
> needed, but it shouldn't be part of lexical_cast.  lexical_cast is
> conceptually simple and should remain that way.

lexical_cast was at best an experiment. In some limited contexts
a generic from_string and a generic to_string might make sense.
But a generic from/to anything, using a string as intermediate
representation, is something done just because it can be done,
not because it is useful or meaningfully specified.

I quacke at the idea that it is being used in a mission-critical
project.

> The proper interface for the functionality you seek should be
> considered without reference to lexical_cast.
> 
> In fact, if we put together all the badly needed functionality
> that overlaps with lexical_cast, and give it appropriate
> interfaces, I'm not entirely convinced that there would be
> much use for lexical_cast anymore.

There isn't really much use anyway. It gives no control over the
format or, for that matters, over anything.

-- 
Genny