Re: [boost] [conversion] How to repere assignement to a variable? (was [property] interest in C# like properties for C++?)

Subject: Re: [boost] [conversion] How to repere assignement to a variable? (was [property] interest in C# like properties for C++?)
From: Stewart, Robert (Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-10-26 09:19:38

vicente.botet wrote:
> From: "Stewart, Robert" <Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden]>
> > vicente.botet wrote:
> >>
> >> in the thread about C# like properties we were talking about
> >> the advantage to be able to repere assignation to properties.
> >
> > I assume by "repere assignation" you mean, in English,
> > "represent assignment."  ("Assignation" is not used,
> > normally, as a synonym for "assignment.")
>
> Sorry for my bad English. I meant "locate/recognize assignments".

That's not a problem -- your English is better than my French.  I just wanted to be sure I understood you.

> >> I said that, another way to repare the assignments is to use
> >> a free function assign_to, like we use the free function
> >> swap, or the cast family functions.
> >>
> >>     assign_to(a.p_X, 1);
> >>
> >> assign_to call by default the assignment operator.
> >
> > That's a reasonable default while permitting customization.
>
> However, operator = can be likewise customized and is
> idiomatic for assignment.  Why create a new name?
>
> Operator can only be defined on the Traget class and can not
> be used between unrelated types. When you have two types
> implemented by two independent libraries but representing the
> same concept, (not C++ concept), you need to convert one to
> the other when you need to use both libraries. The typical
> ewample is the Time. How many time representations do you
> know? How many conversion from one representation to the
> other have yo needed?

You raised this in the context of properties.  Using proxies in a property implementation means that the conversions can be done via assignment.  Whether the assignment operator uses custom functions, traits, or something like your assign_to(), is quite another matter.

For properties to work like all the properties I've seen -- in other languages, of course -- assignment is the way to go, possibly augmented with some explicit conversion operation.

> I would like C++ be updated so extrinsic converison operators
> and assignement are allowed, but this is not yet the case. It
> is for this reason have propose to use a function insead of
> an operator.

In other contexts, this is certainly sensible, and I can even understand supporting properties in the assign_to() framework.

_____
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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