Re: [boost] [convert] Boost.Convert Library Review

Subject: Re: [boost] [convert] Boost.Convert Library Review
From: Vladimir Batov (vbatov_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-05-03 04:33:50

> "Gordon Woodhull" <gordon_at_[hidden]> wrote in message
news:<7A4B6296-A86F-4BF9-ACE5-525B4052EE26_at_[hidden]>...
> >> Note that performance concerns are out of scope of
> >> Boost.Convert.
> > 
> > Why?
> 
> Because the author chose not to address them. It's not a more efficient
alternative. It's just a more powerful (if wacky) interface.
> 
> I'm certainly not saying that it's not an important concern! Performance is
the main reason I don't use lexical_cast more.

Gordon,

Thank you for trying reading my mind. In this instance, I suspect, you read it
wrong though. ;-) Indeed, I did not address the performance as IMHO that's an
implementation detail which needs to come next -- after API/functionality has
been settled on. Although I did provide a half-hearted example how to go about
optimizing with string-to-bool when the time comes.

If we decide to go ahead building/extending a set of converters (based on this
lib. or any other lib), then I'd probably favor the user choosing which
converter he/she wants by specifying 

#include <boost/convert/string-to-bool-fast.hpp> 
or
#include <boost/convert/string-to-int-spirit.hpp> 

Something along these lines. That way stream-based converters would co-exist
with some quick ones. Just a thought.

V.