Re: feature for C++ standards compliance

From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2021-02-25 19:58:18

On 2/25/21 11:13 AM, John Maddock via Boost wrote:

> I just looked at this, and I get 198 serialization lib test failures in 
> C++03 mode currently :(

Its really only 5 tests.  the tests are repeated for each archive.  Also 
depending on the test setup more than one variant, or compiler or 
whatever may be tested - thus elevating the number.
> 
> The issue is that your tests are using Boost.Math, specifically 
> float_distance, and this is now C++11 and later.  It's used fairly 
> ubiquitously in your tests as well.

Right.  Still it's only 5 tests.  After tracking this down - which took 
a surprising amount of time given branches, etc - I considered my 
options and the easiest and most future looking was to just suppress 
these tests for compilations with C++ version <C++11.  It's a good 
simple, expedient solution.  I just needed an attribute to condition on. 
  As chris pointed out I can condition one boost version.  This is a 
practical and simple idea and I'll use it if nothing better comes up.

FYI - if it had been a different situation, for example, float_distance 
sprinkled throughout the library code, then this "fix" would be 
unacceptable.  But given the current situation, just skipping these 
tests is a good way to handle it.

> 
> Given that we've signaled this change for over a year now, how do we 
> handle this?

I'm thinking the attribute list should include the standards version. 
But if that's too much work I totally understand and will work around it 
some other way.  I don't know how many other libraries have this issue - 
it might well be none.  I'll leave it totally up to you.  Just post if 
you change anything.

Robert Ramey