[Boost-users] Re: BOOST_STRONG_TYPEDEF

From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-02-07 18:27:08

I needed this facility for the serialization system.  I couldn't find it
anywhere so I implemented my own version.  I worked on it just enough to
make it adequate for my purposes.  I'm sure it could be improved.  I ran
into annoying problems in that it generated a lot of syntax errors with
borland compilers.  On some gcc versions it issues warnings - which I
suspect are probably correct.

I think its utility and purpose are under appreciated.  But it really needs
to be worked on some more to make a case for promoting it into more boost
usage.

Also this might be related to scaler<T, X> mentioned in another discussion -
I'm not sure - I'm just keeping the pot boiling. Blub, Blub, Blub ....

Robert Ramey

gast128 wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> I was playing with the serialization library, and ran into the
> BOOST_STRONG_TYPEDEF. In our own development environment we have a
> similar feature based on the article 'True typedefs' from Matthew
> Wilson (CUJ march 2003):
>
> BOOST_STRONG_TYPEDEF(long, HBLA);
> BOOST_STRONG_TYPEDEF(long, HBLUB);
>
> HBLABLA hBla(1);
> HBLUB   hBlub(3);
> bool    bOk = false;
>
> bOk = (hBlub == hBla);  //rejected if base types are different
> bOk = (hBlub != hBla);  //does not compile on VC 7.1
> bOk = (hBlub < hBla);   //rejected if base types are different
>
> hBlub = hBla;           //accepted by boost_strong_typedef, this is a
> deliberate choice
>
> So I guess one can discuss about some behavior.
>
> But perhaps if it supports '==', it should also support '!='?
>
> Wkr,
> me