Re: [boost] [any] boost::get style accessors

Subject: Re: [boost] [any] boost::get style accessors
From: Stewart, Robert (Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-04-30 06:57:45

Christoph Heindl wrote:
> On Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 7:26 PM, vicente.botet
> <vicente.botet_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> >
> > Thinking a little bit more the introduction of boost::get<>
> > in Boost.Any would  result at the end on the deprecation of
> > any_cast, isn't it?
>
> If boost any_cast<> has equivalent sematics to boost::get<> and
> boost::get<> is the perferred generic way (which I think it is) to
> retrieve values then +1 for the deprecation.

+1 for having a common approach to extracting such values.  boost::get<> is consistent with tuples, not just variant, so I think it is the right interface.  any_cast is, of course, highly specific.

I don't know that any_cast need be deprecated, though, because I haven't looked into the details.  If it works differently in any way, can be more efficient, or is otherwise a closer fit to boost::any, then there's no reason to deprecate or remove it.  Those working strictly with boost::any could prefer it.  If those things are not true, then I think deprecation is in order.

> > So the refactoring at the interface level will introduce
> > constraints that sould be avoided.
>
> Could you please elaborate on your thoughts?

I suppose that Vicente meant that this would be a breaking change that he'd like to avoid, which is understandable.  I don't think maintaining both interfaces and explaining why both exist is onerous, so that might be the best course.

_____
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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