Re: [Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #9378: g++ 4.7 -Wshadow warnings need attention

Subject: Re: [Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #9378: g++ 4.7 -Wshadow warnings need attention
From: Boost C++ Libraries (noreply_at_[hidden])
Date: 2014-03-19 02:55:23

#9378: g++ 4.7 -Wshadow warnings need attention
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  Reporter:  Tom Browder <tom.browder@…>  |      Owner:  eric_niebler
      Type:  Bugs                         |     Status:  new
 Milestone:  To Be Determined             |  Component:  xpressive
   Version:  Boost 1.55.0                 |   Severity:  Problem
Resolution:                               |   Keywords:
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Comment (by rmann@…):

 I mean you don't need any special knowledge of what the code is doing to
 go through and modify variable names to avoid shadowing, if you understand
 how the compiler resolves scope. Sure, looking at the code, it's obvious
 which variable is being referenced. What's not obvious is if that was the
 intent of the programmer of that code.

 Why do you think the warning exists at all? if there is no danger to
 shadowing variables, why does any compiler anywhere support warning you?

 The answer is that there IS a danger in doing so. Explicit naming, on the
 other hand, reduces the likelihood that one will accidentally reference
 the wrong variable, since the NAME is different. You won't be thinking
 "foo" when what you really meant was "mFoo" (or "foo_" or whatever style
 you choose).

 Turning off the warning, by any means is sticking your head in the sand
 and hoping there's nothing wrong. The headers are hacky because you have
 to litter your code with them. They're a bandaid on the real problem,
 which is code full of warnings.

 If you want to shadow variables in your own code, that's one thing. But
 code that's used by thousands of others should be free of warnings in the
 bulk of the compilers it supports.

 I clearly can't convince you of the benefit of having warning-free code,
 shadow or otherwise. It certainly reduces my confidence in Boost being a
 robust product.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/9378#comment:12>
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