April 2011 - Boost - lists.boost.org

[local] this_ or _this?
by Lorenzo Caminiti 20 May '11

20 May '11

Hello all, Boost.Local uses a special name `this_` to access the object `this` bound from the enclosing scope. Shall this name be `this_` or `_this` according to Boost practices? struct c { void g(int x) { ... } void f() { void BOOST_LOCAL_FUNCTION_PARAMS( (int x) (bind this) ) { this_->g(x); // <<<<<<<<< Shall this be `_this->g(x);` instead? ... } BOOST_LOCAL_FUNCTIO_NAME(l) ... } ... }; In particular, some library uses _ postfix for statements like mpl::if_ (not mpl::_if) while other uses _ prefix for variables like phoenix::local_names::_f (not local_names::f_). Thanks a lot. -- Lorenzo

12 21

[boostcon][proto] Suggestion for LIAW session: fixed-point numbers
by Ravi 19 May '11

19 May '11

Hi, Are there any proto-based ideas for the library-in-a-week sessions? If not, would building a fixed-point data type be of interest? The domain is narrow enough that something useful can be accomplished in 4 sessions, but of large enough scope to present opportunities for exploring proto in depth. A fairly simple design follows representing a number: fixed_number<int width, int ulp, // 2^{ulp} is the smallest increment possible bool signed, template assigner<first, last, signed> > 'assigner' handles rounding/truncation/wrapping/etc when assigning another number (floating-point or fixed-point) to the current one. Internally, each fixed-point number would be represented by a boost::uint64_t or a boost::int64_t (limiting the maximum precision allowed). As an example, fixed_number<5, -3, false> would represent a data type that would go from 0 to 3.875 in steps of 0.125. Proto would be used for creating all arithmetic operations since the return type of a+b could be different from the type of either a or b. A bonus would involve getting the fixed-point data type to play well with std::complex (and, yes, I am aware that std::complex is not designed to work with anything other than double and float, and will require specialization in the std namespace). If there is sufficient interest, I could even provide a starting point with +,-,* implemented; / would take more time. The design above is intended as a starting point for discussion and I am most definitely not wedded to it. I am a tyro when it comes to proto, and hence would need someone with more proto expertise to guide the discussion. Regards, Ravi

8 24

Conversion/Enums/Opaque request for interest
by Vicente BOTET 16 May '11

16 May '11

Hi, Lastly I've been working on 3 Boost libraries proposals. * Boost.Conversion (https://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/conversion/libs/conversion_ext/doc/…) * Boost.Enums (https://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/enums/libs/enums/doc/html/index.html) * Boost.Opaque (https://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/opaque/libs/opaque/doc/html/index.h…) Boost.Conversion manages with generic explicit conversion between unrelated types. The template function convert_to allows to convert a source type to a target type, using argument dependent lookup (ADL) to select a specialized convert_to function if available. If no specialized convert_to function is available, boost::conversion::convert_to is used. Boost.Enums intends to provide a partial solution to the scoped enums problem ensuring a portable solution compatible with compilers supporting natively scoped enums or not. In addition provides a framework to view enumerations as ordinal types so we can define some specific and efficient enum containers. Boost.Enums is composed of the following parts: * Scoped enums * Ordinal enums * Enum containers * MPL enums * String <-> Enum conversions Boost.Opaque intends to provide a library partial solution to "opaque typedefs". Boost.Opaque provides: * a generic mixin class hierarchy which can be specialized by the user to make new opaque classes. * a generic class hierarchy which can be instantiated by the user to make new opaque typedefs. * a meta-mixin concept that allows to compose in a easy way several aspects of a class in an orthogonal way. * a considerable number of meta-mixins that helps defining new types from an underlying type * Some helper macros that can reduce the declaration of a new opaque type to a single line, emulating the language-based approach. Boost.Opaque and Boost.Enums depend in some degree on Boost.Conversion. These are quite basic libraries that any of you could find useful (or not) and that are not associated to a complex domain, so any of you could have an opinion without spending too much time. Please follow the above links to have a better idea of the motivation of these libraries. Before continuing completing the design, docs and tests of these libraries I would like to know if there is an interest on these libraries and if you have any suggestion on how to improve them, you see something missing or that should be removed. This will help me a lot to concentrate my efforts on the library that reveals more interest. Any comment will really be appreciated. Thanks, Vicente

7 10

[multi_array] Is there interest for an [index_list] library?
by Pierre-Andre Noel 13 May '11

13 May '11

(This email has earlier been sent to the wrong list. Thanks to Steven Watanabe for pointing that out.) Dear all, I would like to gauge the interest of the community in a library that can serve 1) as a complement to Boost.MultiArray and 2) as an alternative to Boost.MultiArray. For the first type of use, an example of the candidate library's capabilities is that it makes available a special iterator "it" that allows to browse all the elements of a MultiArray "m". This special iterator has an it.indices() members that returns a "list" Collection of indices (i.e. an IndexList) such that "m(list)" and "*it" are the same elements. This can be useful for functions whose effect on an element of "m" depends on where this element is situated in "m". The second way to use the candidate library is as an alternative to Boost.MultiArray of dynamically chosen (execution time) dimensionality. Moreover, the elements do not necessarily need to be arranged in a multi-dimensional "box", as is the case in a MultiArray. For example, a "simplex" organization of the elements is already implemented. If you are interested to know more, I strongly suggest you to take a look at the example file in sandbox/index_list/libs/index_list/examples.cpp . The library itself is in sandbox/index_list/boost and a readme file (with some details concerning concepts and "priorities") is in sandbox/index_list/libs/README . An automatically generated (Doxygen) documentation is located in sandbox/index_list/libs/index_list/doc/index.html . Sadly, there is no "real" documentation for now. Many thanks for your time. Sincerely, Pierre-André Noël

5 11

[local] Help for the Alternatives section
by Lorenzo Caminiti 12 May '11

12 May '11

Hello all, I am updating Boost.Local docs and I could use a some help in getting the Alternatives section right http://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/local/libs/local/doc/html/boost_loca… . How can I program the following code (its local function and `factor` constant binding) using Boost.Phoenix, Boost.Lambda, and C++0x lambda functions? If you know, can you please reply with the actual code? #include <boost/local/function.hpp> #include <iostream> #include <vector> #include <algorithm> int main() { double sum = 0.0; int factor = 10; void BOOST_LOCAL_FUNCTION_PARAMS(double num, // Variable `factor` bound as constant. bind& sum, const bind& factor) { sum += factor * num; std::cout << "Summed: " << sum << std::endl; } BOOST_LOCAL_FUNCTION_NAME(add) std::vector<double> v(3); v[0] = 1.0; v[1] = 2.0; v[2] = 3.0; // Local function `add` passed as template parameter. std::for_each(v.begin(), v.end(), add); return 0; } Thank you very much! -- Lorenzo

14 82

[provocative] Whom did the SFC pay to list boost developers as a whole in "Current Member Projects"?
by Alexander Terekhov 08 May '11

08 May '11

http://sfconservancy.org/members/current/ (Current Member Projects) "Boost provides free peer-reviewed portable C++ source libraries. Boost emphasizes libraries that work well with the C++ Standard Library. Boost libraries are intended to be widely useful, and usable across a broad spectrum of applications. The Boost license encourages both commercial and non-commercial use. Boost aims to establish existing practice and provide reference implementations so that Boost libraries are suitable for eventual standardization. Ten Boost libraries are already included in the C++ Standards Committee's Library Technical Report ( TR1) as a step toward becoming part of a future C++ Standard. More Boost libraries are proposed for the upcoming TR2." The context: (pacer) 03/23/2011 192 ENDORSED LETTER addressed to Judge Shira A. Scheindlin from David Leichtman dated 3/23/2011 re: Requesting that the Reply and Kuhn Declaration be stricken, or in the alternative, that the Court consider Best Buy's responses to these new theories and arguments. ENDORSEMENT: Defendant's request is granted. The Court will consider Best Buy's response to the new issues raised in Plaintiffs' Reply, as set forth in this letter. So Ordered. (Signed by Judge Shira A. Scheindlin on 3/23/2011) (jpo) (Entered: 03/23/2011) 04/14/2011 193 OPINION AND ORDER. For the reasons in this opinion and order, plaintiffs' motion to join WD is denied. The Clerk of the Court is directed to close this motion (Docket No. 133). (Signed by Judge Shira A. Scheindlin on 4/14/2011) (rjm) (Entered: 04/15/2011) 04/26/2011 194 ENDORSED LETTER addressed to Judge Shira A. Scheindlin from Emmett J. McMahon, dated 4/25/2011, re: Counsel for the defendant Best Buy Co., writes to request a pre-motion conference regarding a motion to strike Plaintiffs' claim for "actual damages and any additional profits of [Best Buy] incurred as the result of infringement." ENDORSEMENT: Request granted. A premotion conference will be held on May 6 at 2:30. So Ordered. (Pre-Motion Conference set for 5/6/2011 at 02:30 PM before Judge Shira A. Scheindlin) (Signed by Judge Shira A. Scheindlin on 4/25/2011) (lnl) (Entered: 04/26/2011) (details) http://www.terekhov.de/192.pdf http://www.terekhov.de/194.pdf Suggestion: Please remove boost from http://sfconservancy.org/members TIA. regards, alexander.

9 22

[PBGL] Distributed adyacency_list memory allocation
by Cosimo Calabrese 06 May '11

06 May '11

Hi to all, I'm working on WinXP, VS2010, boost 1.46.1. I've writed this short program: //---------------------------------- #include <boost/graph/use_mpi.hpp> #include <boost/graph/distributed/mpi_process_group.hpp> #include <boost/graph/distributed/adjacency_list.hpp> using boost::graph::distributed::mpi_process_group; typedef boost::property<boost::vertex_distance_t, long, boost::property<boost::vertex_name_t, std::string > > vertex_prop; typedef boost::property<boost::edge_weight_t, long > edge_prop; typedef boost::adjacency_list< boost::vecS, boost::distributedS<mpi_process_group, boost::vecS>, boost::directedS, vertex_prop, edge_prop > Graph; typedef boost::graph_traits<Graph>::edge_descriptor EdgeDescriptor; typedef boost::graph_traits<Graph>::vertex_descriptor VertexDescriptor; int main(int argc, char* argv[]) { boost::mpi::environment env(argc,argv); Graph g( 10 ); return 0; } //---------------------------------- When I launch it, every process allocates about 1 GB of memory. Why it allocates all that memory? Is it normal? Is there any tuning to the PBGL framework that I must made? I use it on a 2-core machine, and the command that I use is: mpiexec -n 2 .\test.exe I've tried with openMPI 1.4.3 and Microsoft HPC Pack 2008, but it seems irrilevant. Thanks in advance, Cosimo Calabrese.

2 1

[xint] Formal Review Result
by Vladimir Prus 06 May '11

06 May '11

I apologize for the delay in producing the final summary and result of the Boost.Xint review, but here it is. Votes ===== YES: - Christian Henning - Steven Watanabe - Jarrad Waterloo - Edward Diener - Paul A. Bristow NO : - Mathias Gaunard - Joel Falcou - Anders Dalvander - Joachim Faulhaber - Phil Endecott - Domagoj Saric - Gordon Woodhull ("fraction of a vote") I might have missed somebody inside the 454 messages I have as result of the review, but the overall picture is clear -- the votes are split. High-level issues ================= - The claim that the library is "fast" is not necessary true. Phil has did some checking against hand-written assembler that don't look too good. - It is not clear whether the design allows for improving performance of fixed-size integers using specialization (again, see Phil's comments) - There were concerns about COW. In particular, it was very clearly stated that if COW is used, it should work fine in multi-threaded programs. - It was suggested to use ET. - Some folks suggested better separation between algorithms and data representation. Specific issues =============== - It was pointed out that "a + b + c" creates a pile of temporaries, and this can be improved without using ET. - Joachim's review raised a lot of valid points. Section 3 of his reviews in something that should be addressed, more or less entirely. Note that while we normally don't force specific coding style, some of formatting pointed out is simply unacceptable if this code is to be read by anybody. - 'Secure' flag is probably not so much of it. Future directions ================= I think that reviews by Phil and Joachim are most important in specying evolutionary directions for Boost.XInt. Chad made several comments about what he plans to do, in particular: - http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lib.boost.devel/216935 Conclusion ========== I think there's no doubt that (i) this domain is important and (ii) Chad has put a lot of work into this library, producing several iterations. It was pointed out that we have many arbitrary-precision libraries skeletons all around Boost, and providing such a solid offering for review is a significant accomplishment. And it everybody learned a lot during the review. There was a couple of important meta-points raised during review -- whether review should focus on external interface only, and what is the scope of the library. Some reviewers argued that only external interface matters. However, it seems to me (as review manager), that concerns about internal design are valid, and may not be rejected offhand. After all, external interface of an integer library is more or less defined by mathematics, and internal design plays a key role in successfull evolution of the library. There was also heated discussion about the scope of the library, in particular support for fixed-width integers. I think that it's abstractly OK for this library to treat fixed-width integers as second-class citizens. However, I am having hard time determining the intended scope of the library. If I'm doing cryptography, would I really want to implement cryptography algorithms from the books with Boost.XInt, only to introduce bugs that are probably fixed in existing implementations (often, included in the OS). And if I'm really intent on doing that, I probably want raw performance, including a way to plug in optimized backends using SSE 2011, CUDA, and whatever fancy technology is there. If I'm doing general programming, then I'm most likely interested in not too big integers. They might be fixed-width 128-bit integers, or they might be something larger-than-64, but not necessary fixed. However, such integers are not the scope of the library, and they were found to have suboptimal performance. It is certainly possible to refine/define the scope, optimize everything for that scope, accomodate the proposals made during review, and obtain an excellent Boost library. However, there are some many suggestions, and so many planned redesigns and changes, that we need a second look at the library. Further, because of the global nature of the changes, it would be very hard to identify a specific subset that must be improved and then go through mini-review. For that reason, I've arrived at the the following result: Boost.Xint library is not accepted at this time. We'll be happy to have another full review of the library when the next version is ready. Thanks to Chad for the submission and for everybody who participated in the review! - Volodya -- Vladimir Prus Mentor Graphics +7 (812) 677-68-40

10 17

next version dates
by Andy Tompkins 05 May '11

05 May '11

Hi, Has it been decided the dates relevant to the next version? I have only looked here (http://www.boost.org/development/index.html) and didn't see anything. I'm not trying to change / hurry or delay anything. I just want to start moving some changes from trunk to release, but I work slowly and want to start closer to the beginning of a release, not closer to the end of one. Regards, Andy Tompkins.

6 12

Boost.Locale and the standard "message" facet
by Vicente BOTET 05 May '11

05 May '11

Hi, I was wondering how Boost.Locale is related to the standard message facet which is used to translate messages. Note that the facet interface work with integer identifiers avoiding all the issues raised by the get_text/translate functions provided by Boost.Locale. Is there any reason Boost.Locale could not follow the standard design? What are the advantages of the Boost.Locale design? Best, Vicente

4 6