Re: [boost] meaning of "unify"? (was Re: [Root Pointer] Seeking a Review Manager

Subject: Re: [boost] meaning of "unify"? (was Re: [Root Pointer] Seeking a Review Manager
From: Larry Evans (cppljevans_at_[hidden])
Date: 2016-04-03 11:15:14

On 04/03/2016 08:45 AM, Larry Evans wrote:
> On 04/01/2016 12:25 AM, Phil Bouchard wrote:
>> Greetings,
>>
>> - "Root Pointer" is an alternative to the long unsolved problem of
>> garbage collectors which lasted for more than 70 years!
>>
>>
>> - Thanks to Paul A. Bristow for his help on the generation of the
>> documentation which is now available at the following link:
>> http://philippeb8.github.io/root_ptr/
>>
>> (I apologize for the misplaced images in the rationale)
>>
> 
> Hi Phil,
> 
> I've trying to understand the role of node_proxy.  I went to:
> 
> http://philippeb8.github.io/root_ptr/index.html
> 
> then to:
> 
> http://philippeb8.github.io/root_ptr/boost/node_proxy.html
> 
> which contains:
> 
> -{--cut here--
> 
> void unify(node_proxy const & p) const;
> 
> Unification with a new node_proxy .
> 
> Parameters:
> 	
> 
> p
> 	
> 
> New node_proxy to unify with.
> 
> -}--cut here--
> 
> However, neither "unify" or "Unification" were links to their
> definitions.  The index here:
> 
> http://philippeb8.github.io/root_ptr/root_ptr/indexes/s01.html
> 
> had no entries starting with "unif".  I think there should at
> least be a definition of this term somewhere with an entry
> in the index linking to this definition so that people like
> me won't have to guess what it means.

Unify is somewhat clarified by:

http://philippeb8.github.io/root_ptr/root_ptr/rationale.html#root_ptr.rationale.union

But that raises another question.  The pair of side-by-side
diagrams suggest that when the lower non-inherited node_ptr
acquires a pointer to the upper non-inherited node_ptr, then
the "corresponding" node_proxy's likewise acquire similar
pointers.  Now what happens when the direction is reversed?
Is there then a cycle between the node_proxy's?

BTW, it would also help if the root_ptr box on top of
both a node_proxy and node_ptr box signifies that the
subboxes are contained in the single root_ptr box.
Only by looking at the code here:

https://github.com/philippeb8/root_ptr/blob/master/include/boost/smart_ptr/root_ptr.hpp#L479

was I sure this is what was meant.

-regards,
Larry

> 
> -regards,
> Larry