Re: [boost] [locale] Formal review of Boost.Locale library starts tomorrow

Subject: Re: [boost] [locale] Formal review of Boost.Locale library starts tomorrow
From: Artyom (artyomtnk_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-04-16 09:29:26

> > It should not be too hard but requires non-negligible amount  of work.
> >
> 
> Yes I understand that, thats why:
> 
> >> I  wouldn't  require such a backend for inclusion, but if/when such  a
> >> backend gets written  I would like it to be  included.
> 
> So I do not expect you to write such a thing, but if someone  did I'd 
> expect you to integrate it. By the way, can you "guesstimate" how  much 
> work it would take?
> 

I have no idea, for example to handle XLIFF format
it is required to have... an XML parser so I don't know
what would it take.

> 
> Maybe. From what I  understand from the doku boost::format is a subset of 
> locale::format, so I'd  expect something like this to work:
> locale::format("Hello %1%!") %  name
> 
> Your docs do not say what happens when I do  this:
> locale::format("Today is {1}.") % date(d)
> I'd expect it to work and  give the date in some sensible default formatting.
> 
> I'd hate if we had to  do something like this:
> 
> boost::format("Sensor Value (at %1%): %2$.2%") % 
> (locale::format("{1,date_time}") % date) % value
> 

You can just do boost::locale::format("Sensor Value (at {1,dt}): {2,p=2}")

The point is that date_time is actually a number of seconds
since Jan 1, 1970 GMT and that is why it is number.

Its representation is actually a matter of formatting.

Why because if user is happy with time_t he should be
able to use it.

Finally boost::locale::format does not care about
what he writes to the stream.

> 
> 
> >> *  it would be nice if  boost::locale::date_time and boost::date_time  
>interacted
> >> nicely, or ideally  could be  merged
> >>
> > [snip]
> >
> >     So they can't be really merged.
> >
> 
> I understand that, thats  why I said interact nicely OR merge.
> 
> Minimally I'd  expect
> 
> boost::date_time dt = ...;
> locale::format("Today is {1,date}.")  % dt
> to work.
> 

There are several problems:

1. boost::date_time has its own formatter facets and they can't
   be overridden
2. The use of locale facets in Boost.DateTime is quite incorrect.
   

It is not that simple.

I think it can be worked out together with cooperation 
of Boost.DateTime author/maintainer.

> 
> 
> Regards
> 
> Fabio
> 
> 

Thanks,
  Artyom