Re: [boost] [General] Always treat std::strings as UTF-8

Subject: Re: [boost] [General] Always treat std::strings as UTF-8
From: Mostafa (mostafa_working_away_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-01-20 20:19:24

On Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:46:01 -0800, Chad Nelson  
<chad.thecomfychair_at_[hidden]> wrote:

> On Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:52:25 -0800
> Mostafa <mostafa_working_away_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>
>>>> Can we stick to std::string conventions as closely as possible?  It
>>>> makes using whatever new string library that much easier, and
>>>> clearer, and maintainable.
>>>
>>> Is there a conventional way to get the data stored in an
>>> std::string? ;-)
>>
>> On second thought, is there really a need to access the underlying
>> data of utf8_t?  I argue that having a view of the underlying data via
>> iterators accomplishes just as much(*), and is more inline with the
>> stl tradition of containers and iterators, not to mention the better
>> encapsulation it affords the interface.  Do clients really need to
>> know, and potentially develop a dependency on, the fact that utf8_t
>> (for now?) is really just a wrapper for std::string?
>
> For interaction with functions that require std::string, and presumably
> don't care about the encoding, it's convenient. Without it, using the
> UTF classes with such a function requires calling the std::string
> constructor with the element iterators. That's going to be a major need
> for the foreseeable future.

Would that be a bad thing?  That is, forcing clients to call the  
std::string constructors with element iterators.  I don't see it as a  
need, but more of a want.  It's just a convenience for the clients with  
drawbacks for the interface, namely exposing implementation detail that  
doesn't need to be exposed.

Mostafa