Re: [boost] Boost.Local Review

Subject: Re: [boost] Boost.Local Review
From: Vicente Botet (vicente.botet_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-11-17 04:33:09

lcaminiti wrote:
> 
> On Wed, Nov 16, 2011 at 6:16 PM, Pierre Morcello
> <pmorcell-cppfrance@> wrote:
>> Hello Boost community,
> 
> Hi Pierre. Thank you very much for your review!
> 
>> Here is my review of the local function library.
>>
>> - What is your evaluation of the design?
>> The design is clear. Several iterations were done already to come to what
>> it
>> is today. Of course no one is particularly fond of macros, but a huge
>> work
>> was done to reduce the potential problems and on the other hand the
>> library
>> can really help a lot.
>>
>> - What is your evaluation of the implementation?
>> I did not get too much into the current implementation. I dug it almost
>> one
>> year ago, but there were changes since then. The implementation is
>> correct
>> given the features of the library (use of 'this', functor,, name,...). If
>> there were less features, then some optimisations would have been
>> possible
>> (example : not use a virtual function, not use a functor). But the
>> library
> 
> One change in the implementation was to use static_cast instead of a
> virtual function to allow to pass the local class as a template
> parameter. I did some benchmarking and the static_cast approach had
> better (somewhat faster) run-time than the virtual function approach
> with essentially same compilation times.
> https://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/local/libs/local/doc/html/boost_local/Implementation.html#boost_local.Implementation.local_classes_as_template_parameters
> 
>> would in that case have fewer cases of use. I know how the first verion
>> of
>> Lorenzo worked but I did not check the latest.
>> Given the current features, I don't see how to do even better than what
>> Lorenzo did. So I am happy with the implementation.
>>
>> - What is your evaluation of the documentation?
>> I really appreciate the detailled documentation. On a 'merchandising
>> note',
>> the first page is too big. I think this could 'afraid' some new readers.
>> Introduction + an 8-line motivating example should be enough to appeal
>> (or
>> not) the new reader. I am happy to review a submitted library with a
> 
> Yes, I will revamp the Introduction section making it shorter and
> adding a motivation note as suggested by Andrzej in his review I will
> probably only show local functions in the Introduction example and
> mention the existence of local blocks and exits for which I will refer
> the Tutorial section. I will probably start the Tutorial section with
> the current Introduction section and its example.
> 
>> complete documentation (that does not always happen).
>>
>> - What is your evaluation of the potential usefulness of the library?
>> This library is filling a few strong needs. Several users including
>> myself
>> needed local function and const block. I am lazy when it comes to
>> functors,
>> I also find this library is pretty nice to make them quick. C++11 will on
>> that last part change it , but const block are a must have in my opinion
>> which are not available in C++11.
> 
> That is correct. I want to clarify your point for everyone with an
> example. The only way you can make const blocks using C++11 lambdas is
> to bind by value:
> 
> xtype x;
> [x]() {
>     assert( x == 0 );
> }();
> 
> However, this lambda solution for const block will:
> 1) Obviously, only work on C++11 (and not on C++03).
> 2) Not compile at all if xtype is non-copyable.
> 3) Significantly increase run-time if xtype has an expensive copy
> constructor.
> 
> Boost.Local allows instead to bind by const& so no copy is necessary
> (plus it also works on C++03):
> 
> xtype x;
> BOOST_LOCAL_BLOCK(const bind& x) {
>     assert( x == 0 );
> } BOOST_LOCAL_BLOCK_END
> 
> Again, local blocks might not be needed everywhere but if you need
> them for your application domain, C++11 lambdas do /not/ provide a
> good solution (while I think Boost.Local does).
> https://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/local/libs/local/doc/html/boost_local/Alternatives.html
> 
> 

I have not used yet C++ lambdas, couldn't the following be used to support
const binding?

xtype x;
xtype const& xcr; // const binder
[xcr]() {
    assert( xcr == 0 );
}();

Best,
Vicente

--
View this message in context: http://boost.2283326.n4.nabble.com/Boost-Local-Review-tp4078276p4079413.html
Sent from the Boost - Dev mailing list archive at Nabble.com.