Re: [Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #6067: <boost/fusion/algorithm/transformation/push_back.hpp> is broken

Subject: Re: [Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #6067: <boost/fusion/algorithm/transformation/push_back.hpp> is broken
From: Boost C++ Libraries (noreply_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-10-29 05:48:18

#6067: <boost/fusion/algorithm/transformation/push_back.hpp> is broken
------------------------------+---------------------------------------------
  Reporter:  sefi@…           |       Owner:  djowel    
      Type:  Bugs             |      Status:  new       
 Milestone:  Boost 1.48.0     |   Component:  fusion    
   Version:  Boost 1.48.0     |    Severity:  Regression
Resolution:                   |    Keywords:            
------------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Changes (by eric_niebler):

  * owner:  eric_niebler => djowel

Comment:

 The problem is simple, and the fix is also simple but tedious and requires
 discipline. The problem is circular includes. It's nearly impossible to
 avoid. Consider that fusion::begin should automatically return a
 segmented_iterator for segmented sequences. But the implementation of
 segmented_iterator itself need to use fusion::begin() to find the start
 iterator of the sequence's internal segments. Hence, you end up with a
 circular dependency: begin.hpp needs segmented_iterator, but
 segmented_iterator.hpp needs begin. In this case, it's the fact that
 segmented_iterator's implementation uses push_back, which uses joint_view,
 which uses begin, which uses segmented_iterator, closing the circle.

 The solution is consistent use of _fwd.hpp headers. Every .hpp gets an
 associated _fwd.hpp that forward-declares the things it publishes. The
 _fwd.hpp must do nothing but forward-declare stuff and include other
 _fwd.hpp headers. Then, for instance, foo.hpp includes foo_fwd.hpp
 '''before it includes anything else'''. When you do that consistently,
 circular includes happen, but they never lead to this strange situation
 where a file appears to be included but its symbols are not visible -- as
 is happening here.

 In Proto, I solve this problem by having one big proto_fwd.hpp file that
 forward-declares everything in Proto. That gets included from every other
 file in Proto. Once that's done, headers are free to include each other
 willy-nilly and the circular include problem is vanquished. You may choose
 to do something similar, or individual _fwd.hpp headers, or maybe granular
 ones like algorithm_fwd.hpp and intrinsic_fwd.hpp. You get the idea.

 HTH,
 Eric

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/6067#comment:2>
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