Re: [boost] C++11 decltype/SFINAE puzzler

Subject: Re: [boost] C++11 decltype/SFINAE puzzler
From: Eric Niebler (eric_at_[hidden])
Date: 2012-07-06 21:17:24

On 7/6/2012 5:43 PM, Nathan Ridge wrote:
> 
>> From: doug.gregor_at_[hidden]
>> On Fri, Jul 6, 2012 at 1:23 PM, Eric Niebler <eric_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>>> On 7/6/2012 12:54 PM, Marc Glisse wrote:
>>>> On Fri, 6 Jul 2012, Eric Niebler wrote:
>>>>> The end result is that the user is presented with an error like: "no
>>>>> viable function A, template substitution failed." The user is given no
>>>>> information about which function in the chain failed to compile, or why.
>>>>> This is a serious usability problem!
>>>>
>>>> ... in your compiler.
>>>>
>>>>> All suggestions welcome,
>>>>
>>>> Use g++.
>>> <snip informative backtrace>
>>>
>>> Ah! Thanks. I'm using clang. I agree, it's a compiler QoI issue. I'll
>>> follow up with them.
>>
>> FWIW, top-of-tree Clang produces:
>>
>> t.cpp:12:3: error: no matching function for call to 'f'
>> f(0);
>> ^
>> t.cpp:8:8: note: candidate template ignored: substitution failure
>> [with T = int]: no matching function for call to 'g'
>> auto f(T x) -> decltype(g(x)) { return g(x); };
>> ^ ~
>>
>> Which could probably still be improved, although I can't convince
>> myself that GCC 4.8 is doing us favors by producing the complete
>> SFINAE backtrace.
> 
> I think that as a matter of principle, more information is better than
> less. The raw error message can relatively easily be parsed by a tool 
> that filters out undesired detail, but if the detail is not emitted in
> the first place, it's gone.

I'd like to second what Nate said. My experience is that not providing
the backtrace is a usability nightmare. To me, this is *exactly*
analogous to a template instantiation backtrace and should, IMO, be
handled exactly the same way. If you want to snip the middle of the
backtrace, fine, but show the start and the end (the deepest point, I
guess), and perhaps provide an option for dumping the complete thing.

My context is this: I'm rewriting proto in C++11. Entire expression tree
transforms are function call chains like this. To simply be told, "nope,
that transform can't be applied" but not why is maddening.

-- 
Eric Niebler
BoostPro Computing
http://www.boostpro.com