Re: [boost] [lexical-cast] version of lexical_cast in 1.46.1 is quite older than in trunk

Subject: Re: [boost] [lexical-cast] version of lexical_cast in 1.46.1 is quite older than in trunk
From: Vladimir Batov (vbatov_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-04-07 05:19:22

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Vicente BOTET" <vicente.botet_at_[hidden]>
>> ... the Convert proposal sitting
>> in the queue and getting ready for the review this month. I'd suggest 
>> anyone
>> interested in additional lexical_cast features to have a look the the 
>> proposal
>> if it already satisfies your needs. If not, then it's most definitely 
>> open for
>> improvements/extensions/ideas/etc.
>
> It will be great to have a performance comparison between your library and
> lexical cast (with a without the proposed modifications) as one of the 
> major
> concerns of your library were to provide an interface that performs better
> than lexical_cast.

As I understand the main goal of the Convert library was to provide richer 
interface (or so I understood). Namely, to support configurable throwing 
behavior, locale, formatting and ability to extend if/when needed. 
Therefore, quite a bit of effort was put into working out the framework, the 
interface. In that light at this stage I feel that trying to address 
performance in Convert would be somewhat premature. Consequently, I do not 
expect the Convert library to do to/from-string conversions any better or 
worse than lexical_cast as at present Convert uses the same 
std::stream-based engine for those conversions. Having said that I do 
believe that performance needs to be addressed at some point and I am 
currently leaning towards deploying Spirit facilities to do that. If anyone 
has better suggestions, implementations, I do not see anything stopping them 
from incorporating those improvements into Convert. Obviously, before we go 
ahead doing that we have to find out if that library has any future to begin 
with.

Best,
V.