Re: [boost] [Filesystem] v3 path separator changes

Subject: Re: [boost] [Filesystem] v3 path separator changes
From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-03-23 11:24:56

On Sat, Mar 23, 2013 at 8:01 AM, Alexander Lamaison <awl03_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>...
> Is it time for a Boost.Filesystem v4 to result from an in-depth
> discussion on here?

Probably not since the C++ standard committee is so far along with a
Filesystem Technical Specification (TS). Once that ships (possibly
later this year), Boost.Filesystem will be brought into sync with the
TS. That doesn't involve much functional change, but it will cause a
major update to the Boost.Filesystem reference documentation.

>  I'd hope it would take the best of v3 while
> removing some of the hurt it introduced in the process.  For example, my
> top two issues are:
> - unclear generic/native path handling

See http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2013/n3505.html

The committee's Filesystem Study Group put a lot of effort into
clarifying the class path specs.

> - methods returning a 'path' for stuff that isn't a path but just needs
>   a unicode string

Support for C++11 u16string and u32string will make that a bit easier,
but it is really a misuse of class path. The real fix is improved
string interoperability, and there is work going on separate from
Boost.Filesystem to address that.

-Beman