Re: [boost] [review] Review of Nowide (Unicode) starts today

Subject: Re: [boost] [review] Review of Nowide (Unicode) starts today
From: Peter Dimov (lists_at_[hidden])
Date: 2017-06-12 17:52:55

Artyom Beilis wrote:
> > Implying that there are Windows file names (that their names contain 
> > invalid UTF-16) that can't be handled by the library?
>
> Yes indeed if you will try to use stuff like FindFileW and it returns 
> invalid UTF-16 you will get an error trying to convert it to UTF-8.

That's what I meant, already existing files that can't be manipulated by the 
library.

Incidentally, the mention of FileFindW leads me to my next question: by 
looking at my own collection of functions that basically mirror what Nowide 
does (everyone has his own Nowide, I suppose, as this is the only sane way 
to program), I see 'stat' and a 'readdir' equivalent.

Have you considered providing these? One could go the filesystem route, of 
course, but sometimes one may wish to minimize dependencies.

> By definition: you can't handle file names that can't be represented in 
> UTF-8 as there is no valid UTF-8 representation exist.

Well yes in principle, but the file already exists. Although one can well 
argue that this is no different from putting ':' in the name or something 
like that.