Re: [boost] Heads up - string_ref landing

Subject: Re: [boost] Heads up - string_ref landing
From: Jamie Allsop (ja11sop_at_[hidden])
Date: 2012-11-16 06:39:47

On 15/11/12 19:19, Marshall Clow wrote:
> I'm about to check in some new functionality into the string_algo library; an implementation of string_ref.

Isn't this really a separate library? If you want to use it as part of 
the string_algo library make it a 'detail'. Don't get me wrong I think 
something like this is good. I'm just saying if it can be made a detail 
in string_algo do that and then separately move for standalone status in 
boost, and if not then it is really just a separate library and should 
be treated as such.

>
> A string_ref is a non-owning reference to a string. It is implemented as a {pointer, length} pair, and is exceedingly useful
> when parsing, and manipulating strings in "read-only" ways.
>
> The header will be in boost/algorithm/string_ref.hpp, but I welcome discussion about where it should live.
> Ideally, I think it should be just "boost/string_ref.hpp".

I think it should be under 'strings' or 'utility'.

>
> Basic sanity tests will be checked in with the header file - I have tested on clang, clang11, and gcc.
> One reason for checking this in now is to get the tests run on lots of different systems.
>
> Docs will be coming soon, but http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2012/n3442.html
> is the proposal for "a future version of C++" ;-)

I assume you are following the N3442 interface? (I didn't check).

>
> Please let me know what you think!

If this is really a separate library (I think it is) then shouldn't it 
be reviewed and then string_algo updated to work with it? This would 
have the additional benefit of providing feedback in general for N3442.

Jamie