Re: [boost] [Review] TTI

Subject: Re: [boost] [Review] TTI
From: Edward Diener (eldiener_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-07-26 17:23:50

On 7/26/2011 4:19 PM, Noah Roberts wrote:
> What is your evaluation of the design?
>
> Except for the namespace issue, which seems resolved, it seems to be
> what it needs to be. I don't know that there are a lot of design options
> here. It seems to offer a complete set of needs, from metafunction or
> trait to metafunction class. This is good.
>
> What is your evaluation of the implementation?
>
> Again, I don't see a lot of room to be innovative here. It's as clean as
> it can be I think.
>
> One thing that I think is missing is the option to check for a named
> callable within a type. For example, one might want to use enable_if
> style concept checking. So long as a type has function 'xxx' that takes
> arguments of type x,y,and z, and returns something convertible to type
> A, the concept is obeyed. I don't believe this can be done with C++03,
> but with C++1X I was able to do something using decltype.

By "named callable" do you mean a member function or static member 
function of the type ? TTI can check for that. Or is there some other 
criteria for which you are looking ?

>
> What is your evaluation of the documentation?
>
> Could probably use some more tutorials.

This is a good suggestion.

>
> What is your evaluation of the potential usefulness of the library?
>
> VERY. Having to write all these things by hand is a PITA. Most people
> who would have use for this library have probably already devised
> similar sets of macros. It would be nice to have something somewhat
> standardized.
>
> Did you try to use the library?
>
> No.
>
> How much effort did you put into your evaluation?
>
> Quick reading.
>
> Are you knowledgeable about the problem domain?
>
> I think I can say yes. I've had to write my own such SFINAE and overload
> metafunction objects numerous times.
>
> Do you think the library should be accepted as a Boost library?
>
> Yes, so long as the namespace issue is indeed fixed.

Appreciated.

>
> For thoroughness, the namespace issue is that the current implementation
> places traits and metafunction objects within the boost namespace. The
> library would be more useful if the macro declared objects within the
> scope the macro is used. It's an important feature that I often declare
> such objects within class scope. Since they aren't providing
> specializations, it shouldn't be necessary to place them in the boost
> namespace and the author has agreed to discontinue this policy.

I will definitely be removing the metafunctions generated by the macros 
from any namespace.

Thanks for your review !

Eddie Diener