Re: [boost] Formal Review Request: Boost.Convert

Subject: Re: [boost] Formal Review Request: Boost.Convert
From: Stewart, Robert (Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-02-27 08:30:34

On Thursday, February 26, 2009 4:44 PM
Emil Dotchevski wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 26, 2009 at 12:07 PM, Stewart, Robert
> <Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> > On Thursday, February 26, 2009 3:03 PM
> > Emil Dotchevski wrote:
> >>
> >> If I'm the maintainer of class uuid and I am asked to provide a
> >> to-string conversion, you'll find it very difficult to convince me
> >> that it makes sense to replace this:
> >>
> >> #include <string>
> >>
> >> namespace user {
> >>   class uuid;
> >>   std::string to_string( uuid const & );
> >> }
> >>
> >> with all of this:
> >>
[snip long alternative]
> >
> > That's a bit unfair, don't you think?  I know that you only
> > wish to support std::string conversions, but the more complex
> > machinery shown in the latter variant supports open ended
> > formatting options and various target types.
>
> Let's assume that converting to all kinds of target types with
> open-ended formatting options in a single convert<> function is
> desirable. Within that assumption, we need to provide reasonable
> support for the case when the conversion of an uuid object to
> std::string requires no parameters.

I see your point and I think it is reasonable.

> You can do this by requiring uuid.hpp to include all kinds of headers
> and template goodness, learn your complex argument forwarding
> framework -or- you can design your framework in a way that allows it
> to bind simple function declarations or even member functions and
> expose them through the generic convert<> interface.

The framework uses IOStreams to do its work.  I believe the conversion functionality for the uuid type is captured via:

   namespace user
   {
      class uuid;

      template <class Stream>
      Stream &
      operator <<(Stream &, uuid const &);
   }

For interoperability with IOStreams, uuid will probably offer that function anyway, so there's no additional burden.

> I prefer the latter. Do you really find this unfair?

I prefer the IOStreams version.

If the conversion can support formatting, then it must look in the Stream object's iword/pword facility to find the additional information to guide it.  It might also be that there could be support for a specialized convert() overload or function template that takes a Boost.Parameter argument pack to deliver the additional formatting information.  If that's the case, the uuid author only does the heavy lifting when the additional formatting is desirable.

_____
Rob Stewart                           robert.stewart_at_[hidden]
Software Engineer, Core Software      using std::disclaimer;
Susquehanna International Group, LLP  http://www.sig.com

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