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[C++ Now! 2012] Reminder: Call for Submissions, deadline is January 10th, 2012
by Hartmut Kaiser 03 Jan '12

03 Jan '12

INAUGURAL C++ NOW! CONFERENCE 2012 Aspen CO, USA, May 14-18, 2012, www.cppnow.org CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS We invite you to submit session proposals to the Inaugural C++ Now! Conference: C++Now! 2012 (Aspen CO, USA, May 14 - 18, 2012). Based on the successful traditions of 5 years of BoostCon, which was the main face-to-face event for all things C++ and Boost (www.boost.org) C++Now! 2012 will present leading speakers from the whole C++ community. The conference name is changing to C++ Now! to reflect the current value of the language, the focus on its new state (from the new Standard), and the need to continually look to the future so the language remains useful to the C++ community. The focus of this conference will be the new C++11 language Standard and as usual Boost: what's new in C++, its Standard library, and in the Boost libraries, how to write and maintain them, how to evangelize or to deploy Boost within your organization. The new C++ Standard, but also the infrastructure and process of Boost, its vision and mission - no matter what you are interested in, it all comes together in the C++Now! sessions. Meet the colleagues, and feel the inspiration to support your work with C++ and Boost for the next year. The C++ Now! Conference is dedicated to discussion and education about C++, an open and free language and standard. Our Conference will focus on discussion and education about open source software usage and developments in the C++ developer and user community. To reflect the breadth of the C++ and Boost communities, the conference includes sessions aimed at three constituencies: C++ and Boost end-users, hard-core Boost library and tool developers, and researchers pushing the boundaries of computation. The program fosters interaction and engagement within and across those groups, with an emphasis on hands-on, participatory sessions. As a multi-paradigm language, C++ is a melting pot where the most compelling ideas from other programming communities are blended in powerful ways. Historically, some of the most popular sessions at C++Now! have highlighted these concepts, from DSLs to functional programming to transactional memory and more. Bring your C#, Python, Ruby or Haskell influences to bear in an environment that will broaden their exposure. IMPORTANT DATES New proposal submissions due: January 10th, 2012. Proposals decisions sent (tentative program): February 17th, 2012. Fully scheduled program available: February 25th, 2012. Session materials due: April 15th, 2012. BEST PRESENTATION AWARDS We know how much effort it takes to prepare talks for our conference. For this reason we will award the best presentations in the following categories: Best Presentation, Best Short Presentation, Best Tutorial, and Best Workshop. The awards will be given based on the audience's voting. Each award will include the author's name listed on the cover of the C++Now! website for that year and a plaque containing all the C++Now! conference information. SESSION TOPICS Topics of interest include, but are not restricted to, the following: * C++11 and how it changes life for users and library writers * General tutorial sessions on C++11, the C++11 Standardslibrary, and one or more Boost libraries * In-depth sessions on using specific Boost libraries * Case studies on using Boost * Experts panels * Advanced sessions on implementation techniques used within Boost libraries * Development workshops to extend or enhance existing Boost libraries * Workshops on design process * Infrastructure workshops such as Build tools, Website, Testing * Concepts and Generic Programming * Hardware and infrastructure presentations focused on how libraries can make better use of the technology * Software development tools and their application to C++ and or Boost * Other topics likely to be of great interest to Boost users and developers Interactive and collaborative sessions are encouraged, as this is the style of learning and participation that has proven most successful at such events. Sessions can be tutorial based, with an emphasis on interaction and participant involvement, or workshop based, whether hands-on programming or paper-based, discussion-driven collaborative work. SESSION FORMATS Presentations Presentations focus on a practitioner's ideas and experience with anything relevant to C++11, Boost and users. Panels Panels feature three or four people presenting their ideas and experiences relating to C++11 and Boost's relevant, controversial, emerging, or unresolved issues. Panels may be conducted in several ways, such as comparative, analytic, or historic. Tutorials Tutorials are sessions at which instructors teach conference participants specific skills relevant to C++11 and Boost. Workshops Workshops provide an active arena for advancements In Boost-relevant topics. Workshops provide the opportunity for experienced practitioners to develop new ideas about a topic of common interest and experience. Author's Corner These were introduced at BoostCon 2008, and were a great Presentations success They are short (30 minute) sessions, focusing on tips on usage and design. In addition, we're looking to uncover the hidden design gems in Boost libraries. Tool Vendors We actively encourage tool vendors and ISP's to submit presentations proposals for a special Tool Vendors Session Track aimed at products related to Boost and C++ (compilers, libraries, tools, etc.). Other formats may also be of interest. Don't hold back a proposal just because it doesn't fit into a pigeonhole. SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL Standard Sessions are 60 minutes. You may submit a proposal for fractions or multiples of 90-minutes. Fractional proposals will be grouped into 60 minute sessions covering related topics. Longer sessions, such as tutorials and classes, will be assigned 90 minute, three hour (i.e. half day), or six hour (i.e. full day) time slots. Please include: * The working title. * Type of session: presentation, panel, tutorial, workshop, authors corner, vendor track, other. * A paragraph or two describing the topic covered, suitable for the conference web site. * Proposed length: 10-20 minute short talks, 45 minutes, 90 minutes, half day, full day. * Alternate lengths, if you are willing to make adjustments: 10- 20 minute short-talks, 45 minutes, 90 minutes, half-day, full day. * Audience: users, developers, both. * Level: basic, intermediate, advanced. * A biography, suitable for the conference web site. * Your contact information (will not be made public). SUBMISSION DETAILS All submissions should be made through the EasyChair conference management system: http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=cppnow2012. If you have not already registered at EasyChair, you will need to do so in order to submit your proposal. All submissions will go through a peer review process. Authors are invited (but are not required) to submit PDF versions of full papers of up to 10 pages in ACM conference proceedings format (see http://www.acm.org/sigs/publications/proceedings-templates) The full papers are not required unless you want them published in the proceedings. All accepted proposals will be made available in the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Digital Library (approval pending). Best papers, after further reviews, will be considered to be book chapters or journal articles in a renowned journal. The session materials go on the C++Now! website and will be available to attendees. For general information on the C++Now! 2012 paper submission or the scope of technical papers solicited, please refer to the conference website at www.cppnow.org. For any other questions about the submission process or paper format, please contact the Program Committee at cppnow2012(a)easychair.com. If you have any technical problems with EasyChair, please contact EasyChair for help. Note: Presenters must agree to grant a non-exclusive perpetual license to publish submitted materials, either electronically or in print, in any media related to C++ Now!. Hartmut Kaiser, email: hartmut.kaiser(a)gmail.com (Program Committee Chair) Dave Abrahams, email: dave(a)boostpro.com (Conference Chair) On behalf of the conference organizers

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How to get involved ?
by Vijeenrosh PW Vijeen 03 Jan '12

03 Jan '12

Good Morning , My name is Vijeenrosh P.W . Iam an Computer Science and Engineering student . I have knowledge in c,c++,python and linux , and an mind to extend my areas of knowledge. Recently while passing through the list of GSOC accepted organizations I met with boost libraries . it fits me since I have C++ && programming knowledge and is ready to work . I would like to know how to begin to contribute to the project . Where to begin . or is there any warm up excersices to get passed ? -- Vijeenrosh P.W CSE S3 blog : www.BlackJackVijeen.blogspot.com

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RFC: Multiprecision arithmetic library
by John Maddock 03 Jan '12

03 Jan '12

Folks, I'd like to get some feedback on a multiprecision arithmetic library I've been preparing for possible Boost inclusion. The code is in the sandbox under the "big_number" directory. Docs can be viewed online here: http://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/big_number/libs/multiprecision/doc/h… The main features are: * A generic front-end that's capable of wrapping almost any type that's a "number". The front end is expression template enabled and handles all the expression optimization and code reduction. For example it's possible to evaluate a polynomial using Horner's rule without a single temporary variable being created. * A series of backends that need only provide a reduced interface and set of operations, implement the actual arithmetic, currently supported backends are: Integer Types ~~~~~~~~~ 1/ GMP (MPZ). 2/ libtommath. Rational Types ~~~~~~~~~~ 1/ GMP (MPQ). [ But note that the integer types can also be used as template aruments to Boost.Rational ] Floating Point Types ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1/ GMP (MPF) 2/ MPFR 3/ cpp_float - an all C++ Boost-licensed backend based on Christopher Kormanyos' e_float code. [ Note these three types are fully compatible with Boost.Math Trunk - so you get full standard library plus special function support ] There's still a bunch to do, but I'd like to see what folks think, and where the main priorities should be before submission. Thanks in advance, John.

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[test] showtopper for release 1.49 - std::forward not found when compiling with clang 3.0 c++0x mode.
by Vicente J. Botet Escriba 03 Jan '12

03 Jan '12

Hi, I have created a show stopper ticket https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/6345 as after updating the trunk, I'm unable to test any library using Boost.Test. Recent modification on Boost.Test make it unusable with clang 3.0 c++0x due to std::forward missing or not found. clang-darwin.compile.c++ ../../../bin.v2/libs/thread/test/test_thread.test/clang-darwin-3.0x/debug/threading-multi/test_thread.o In file included from test_thread.cpp:16: In file included from ../../../boost/test/unit_test.hpp:19: In file included from ../../../boost/test/test_tools.hpp:328: In file included from ../../../boost/test/tools/impl.hpp:25: ../../../boost/test/tools/assertion.hpp:278:21: error: no member named 'forward' in namespace 'std' : m_value( std::forward<T>(val) ) ~~~~~^ ../../../boost/test/tools/assertion.hpp:278:29: error: 'T' does not refer to a value : m_value( std::forward<T>(val) ) ^ The revision is https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/changeset/75370 #ifndef BOOST_NO_RVALUE_REFERENCES explicit value_expr( T&& val ) : m_value( std::forward<T>(val) ) #else explicit value_expr( T const& val ) : m_value( val ) #endif #ifndef BOOST_NO_RVALUE_REFERENCES operator->*( T&& v ) const { return value_expr<T>( std::forward<T>( v ) ); } #else operator->*( T const& v ) const { return value_expr<T>( v ); } #endif This has as consequence that the authors developing mainly with this compiler and using Boost.Test to be unable to deliver new modifications. I have added #include <utility> without success. I guess that the standard library doesn't provides this function even if the compiler provides rvalue references. The code should test for a macro that states if std::forward is available. Please could someone help on this issue? Best, Vicente

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[Boost.Math] Re: [Monotone-debian] Bug#653764: FTBFS with Boost 1.48: lgamma_small.hpp:483:38: error: expected primary-expression before 'do'
by Steve M. Robbins 02 Jan '12

02 Jan '12

Hello, Boost Developers: I recently did rebuilds of all Debian packages that use Boost with Boost 1.48 and this is one of the casualties of the upgrade (from 1.46.1). On Sat, Dec 31, 2011 at 12:02:37PM +0100, Zack Weinberg wrote: > On Fri, Dec 30, 2011 at 9:53 PM, Steve M. Robbins <smr(a)debian.org> wrote: > > This package failed to build using the newest Boost version 1.48: > ... > > /usr/include/boost/math/special_functions/detail/lgamma_small.hpp: In function 'T boost::math::detail::lgamma_small_imp(T, T, T, const mpl_::int_<0>&, const Policy&, const L&)': > ... > > /usr/include/boost/math/special_functions/detail/lgamma_small.hpp:483:38: error: expected primary-expression before 'do' > > I'm not in a position to verify this for myself for another week, but > I have a horrible feeling I know what's wrong: Monotone defines > several one-character macros for its own use, and L() is one of them. > It looks like Boost is using L() for its own purposes and expecting it > not to be a macro. Zack, you are absolutely right. The lgamma_small header has a templated class method using "L" as one of the templates: template <class T, class Policy, class L> T lgamma_small_imp(T z, T zm1, T zm2, const mpl::int_<0>&, const Policy& pol, const L&) The compile error at line 483 is at a call to L(): result = log(gamma_imp(z, pol, L())); > I'd argue that Boost headers should take care to defend themselves > from the possibility of such macros, but fixing that in Boost might be > an enormous amount of work, and in any case, 1.48 is already out > there. Boost.Math developers: What is the right thing to do here? More descriptive class template parameters? Attached is a trivial file to reproduce the bug. Thanks, -Steve

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boost modularisation status?
by Robert Ramey 02 Jan '12

02 Jan '12

https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/wiki/CMakeModularizationStatus hasn't been modified in 3 years. Also, when I peruse my local copy of the release tree, I don't see what I expect to see according to https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/wiki/CMakeModularizeLibrary That is, I expect to seem include inside of the libraries at boost/libs/tr1/include - I don't see this. What is the current status of this? Robert Ramey

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[review] Boost.Context mini-review starts today, January 2nd
by Giovanni Piero Deretta 02 Jan '12

02 Jan '12

Hi all, we will start a new year of Boost reviews with a one week mini-review of the Boost.Context library of Oliver Kowalke. The review period starts today January 2nd and ends January 11. Please use [context review] as prefix of your post. Reviewers are strongly encouraged to send their reviews to the boost development mailing list as this is the I follow more assiduously. Please note that Boost.Context was already reviewed and conditionally accepted last May, so we are not voting for acceptance. Instead, this mini-review is to discuss whether the library meets the conditions on acceptance that were listed by Vicente Botet, the review manager at that time. You'll find the whole list at the end of this email. Since the end of the original review, Oliver has spent a large amount of time on a partial rewrite of the library and both me and Oliver decided to schedule this review only after we determined that all issues had been addressed or at least considered. In your review please state whether the acceptance conditions have been addressed satisfactorily. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the library: Boost.Context is a foundational library that provides a sort of cooperative multitasking on a single thread. By providing an abstraction of the current execution state in the current thread, including the stack (with local variables) and stack pointer, all registers and CPU flags, and the instruction pointer, a context instance represents a specific point in the application's execution path. This is useful for building higher-level abstractions, like coroutines and fibers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Useful Links: documentation: http://ok73.ok.funpic.de/boost/libs/context/doc/html/ library: git://github.com/olk/boost.context.git ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >From the original review result email: Point to be addressed before the mini review: Design 1. Separation of the context class in two interface: - A C-like interface that defines a POD struct that is memcpy-able and that can be implemented either using platform libraries, as ucontext, fibers or directly using assembler when a robust implementation is available. The context swap implementation don't need to save the signals as ucontext does. The following is just for illustrations purposes. struct boost_context; typedef void boost_context_fn_t(intptr_t); extern "C" void boost_context_make(boost_context* ctx, boost_context_fn_t * f, intptr_t p, ...); extern "C" void boost_context_swap(boost_context* from, boost_context const* to); extern "C" intptr_t boost_context_destroy( boost_context* fc); boost_context_make is a merge of get_context with make_context + some fields assignations. "A user will have lower expectations from such a low level API and at the same time will give more freedom for other people to implement on top of it higher abstractions as Boost.Corutines, Boost.Fibers ..." - A non-copiable but movable safe context class on top of the low level C-like interface, that will provide modern and efficient C++ interface, that is usable by a user in a safe way. The safe context class would just be one of the client of the C-like interface, other library authors could either use the underlying C-like API directly or the class context depending on wether they need the speed or safety. * The context class will not be templated any more, and the use of type erasure will ensure that. * The constructor will accept any C++ callable, function pointers, functors, ... * At this high level interface, the function provided by the user could throw exceptions, and the library must wrap the user function and needs to store the exception raised and provide an interface to retrieve them. 2. The stack implementation must ensure that the stack is unwound before it is destroyed. A stack should only be safely deallocated if either has been completely unwound or if it doesn't own any resources. A basic stack without protection seems mandatory. For debug purposes it has been required to provide some stack usage functions that allow to know the max size used for example. Implementation 3. The assembler implementation on Windows must be disallowed if the ABI bug reported by Holger is confirmed. As far as Windows provides a fiber implementation that is as efficient as the assembler one, the assembler implementation is not mandatory and the user of the provided Windows fiber is a preferable choice. 4. Most of the 'throw' statements in the context class should actually be asserts. 5. The provided stack should be used to store any context parameters as far as no major impediment is found during the implementation. This will avoid further allocations on the safe context class. Documentation 6. The documentation is very minimalist and should be expanded with a discussion on context switching and use cases. Take care of all the grammar/spelling improvements suggested by the reviewers (It will be great if Jeffrey could review the documentation before the mini-review). Some user land examples should be provided (why not the yield example). 7. The concept of (Movable) Stack must be clearly defined, as it is done in the standard, using expression requirements with semantic constraints. 8. The assembler implementation should be carefully documented, so others could maintain the code and add other implementations if needed. 9. Some performance measure should be added. Providing the number of cycles on each implemented platform would be nice. Build system 10. The default build on a platform must work (It must be ABI compatible with the underlying platform) and take care of the specific features. Of course, the build needs to support cross compiling, so the user should be able to override the default values. Others points that are not required but that can make the library more usable or efficient: 1. The assembler implementations could be simplified if the context itself was represented as a single pointer to the top of the stack. This would save some instructions to move the source address from the stack return address to the context struct and back. 2. Instead of supporting a 'fc_link' a-la ucontext, have the callback function return a new context (it is void now). 'fc_link' is useful only on some limited cases (usually when you have an external scheduler managing your contexts), while the having the callback return the 'next continuation' has more applications (note that fc_link can be implemented easily in term of the continuation returning variant, but the reverse is harder). This will be very useful, for example, to implement some kind of 'exit_to' functionality (unwind the stack and restore another context), a key piece for safe context destruction. 3. Give to boost_context_swap the ability to exchange a parameter with the other context: boost_context_parm_t boost_context_swap( boost_context * ofc, boost_context const* nfc, boost_context_parm_t parm) where boost_context_parm_t is either union boost_context_parm_t { void * ptr; int int_; }; or simply intptr_t; boost_context_swap saves the current context in ocf and restores the context ncf as usual; additionally, if ofc was 'captured' on a call to boost_context_swap, this call will return the value of parm on the original context. This extra parameter is equivalent to the second parameter of longjmp. If ofc was created with boost_context_swap, 'parm' will be an extra parameter to the function. Note that this can be potentially implemented with little or no overhead. 4. Add a variant of boost_context_swap that allows executing a function on the destination context (in this case 'parm' would be passed parameter to this function. This is mostly useful for injecting an exception on the destination context. This can be potentially implemented on top of the existing functionality, but would slow down every context switch; a possible efficient implementation would manipulate the destination stack to add a call to the function on top of it, so that the cost is paid only when required. 5. Add a current context function (thread local).

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[Graph] LEDA adapter - concept check VertexListGraph fails
by Jens Müller 01 Jan '12

01 Jan '12

Hi everyone, when running the tests for Graph, the first concept check in leda_graph_cc.cpp fails: gcc.compile.c++ ../../../bin.v2/libs/graph/test/leda_graph_cc.test/gcc-4.6.1/debug/leda_graph_cc.o In file included from leda_graph_cc.cpp:9:0: ../../../boost/graph/graph_concepts.hpp: In destructor 'boost::concepts::VertexListGraph<G>::~VertexListGraph() [with G = leda::GRAPH<int, int>]': ../../../boost/graph/graph_concepts.hpp:168:1: instantiated from 'static void boost::concepts::requirement<boost::concepts::failed************ Model::************>::failed() [with Model = boost::concepts::VertexListGraphConcept<leda::GRAPH<int, int> >]' leda_graph_cc.cpp:21:5: instantiated from here ../../../boost/graph/graph_concepts.hpp:189:9: error: no matching function for call to 'vertices(leda::GRAPH<int, int>&)' ../../../boost/graph/graph_concepts.hpp:189:9: note: candidate is: ../../../boost/graph/graph_concepts.hpp:45:48: note: template<class T> typename T::ThereReallyIsNoMemberByThisNameInT boost::vertices(const T&) (among some further errors, but I'd like to ask just about this one now) Apparently it cannot find a vertices() function: ../../../boost/graph/graph_concepts.hpp:189:9: error: no matching function for call to 'vertices(leda::GRAPH<int, int>&)' But there is one in leda_graph.hpp: template <class vtype, class etype> inline std::pair< typename graph_traits< leda::GRAPH<vtype,etype> >::vertex_iterator, typename graph_traits< leda::GRAPH<vtype,etype> >::vertex_iterator > vertices(const leda::GRAPH<vtype,etype>& g) { typedef typename graph_traits< leda::GRAPH<vtype,etype> >::vertex_iterator Iter; return std::make_pair( Iter(g.first_node(),&g), Iter(0,&g) ); } So, can someone enlighten me why it isn't found? Has it something to do with #ifdef BOOST_VECTOR_AS_GRAPH_GRAPH_ADL_HACK // dwa 2003/7/11 -- This clearly shouldn't be necessary, but if // you want to use vector_as_graph, it is! I'm sure the graph // library leaves these out all over the place. Probably a // redesign involving specializing a template with a static // member function is in order :( using boost::vertices; #endif ? Best regards, Jens

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Many Boost.Test unit tests fail
by Barend Gehrels 01 Jan '12

01 Jan '12

Hi, Since today or yesterday, many regression tests fail. http://www.boost.org/development/tests/trunk/developer/summary.html I believe on platforms that are recently added, at last on platforms that were not present at December 17. 1) on clang/darwin, message ../boost/test/tools/assertion.hpp:278:21: error: no member named 'forward' in namespace 'std' 2) on clang/linux, message /usr/bin/ld: skipping incompatible /sierra/Sntools/extras/compilers/gcc-4.4.4/lib/libstdc++.so when searching for -lstdc++ We have these errors in Boost.Geometry but I also noticed them in many other libraries. Regards, Barend

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[filesystem] path thread safety fix impact on POSIX systems
by Beman Dawes 01 Jan '12

01 Jan '12

Class path locale initialization has suffered from a data race for several releases. See https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/6320 for an example of code that suffers as a result. The problem was introduced when locale initialization was changed from namespace scope initialization to function scope initialization. For Windows and Mac OS X, the fix is simply to change back to namespace scope initialization. For non-BSD based POSIX systems such as Linux, the problem is more complex. These system need std::locale(""), "the locale-specific native environment". Considerations: * std::locale("") will throw if environmental variables are configured incorrectly. For example, setting LANG=foo on my Ubuntu system causes std::locale("") to throw. * std::locale("") is only needed if conversions between wide and narrow character paths occur in the program, so it would be unfortunate to have programs throw that don't actually do any such conversion. * With GCC, std::locale("") at namespace scope will throw before main() has started! That prevents catching the exception in the user code, and was what led to moving the initialization to a function scope static. Initialization as a function scope static also meant that the exception only occurred if user code actually performed wide - narrow conversions. I can see two possible fixes: (A) Use function scope locale initialization, using boost/detail/lightweight_mutex.hpp to prevent data races. (B) Use namespace scope locale initialization, defaulting the codecvt facet to UTF-8 if std::locale("") throws. The advantage of (B) is that path always initializes without throwing, and that's what users seem to expect. The initialization is correct for all those whose environments are configured correctly, and for those uses who want UTF-8 even if their environments are misconfigured. The POSIX users who prefer an exception on a misconfigured environment can always add a std::locale("") at the start of main(). Comments or opinions? --Beman

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