Re: [Boost-users] General Boost documentation

From: James Hughes (JHughes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-04-24 09:50:31

Slightly off topic, but what I would find a great help with regards to
learning Boost is a better description on what each library can do, and more
importantly, what problems it solves.

For example, perhaps someone has a problem they need to solve that a Boost
lib will help with, but just reading through the top level of the
documentation may not give them enough of a hint that this is the case.

My pet one is simple loading and saving of configuration information in XML.
Which library should/can I use for that? Serialisation? Or is there a better
option? Or is there a boost lib in the wings perhaps aimed at that
particular task?

Another is Boost::graph - I see lots of questions about it on the list, but
what real world problems does it solve?

James

ps. If nothing else of course, shared_ptr is ESSENTIAL!!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lynn Allan [mailto:l_d_allan_at_[hidden]]
> Sent: 24 April 2006 14:25
> To: boost-users_at_[hidden]
> Subject: Re: [Boost-users] General Boost documentation
> 
> 
> John Krajewski wrote:
> > I'm new to generic programming and finding the various concepts used
> > in Boost quite confusing (named parameters, property maps, etc).  Is
> > there general documentation for the programming methods used in
> > Boost?  Perhaps a good book to buy?
> 
> <alert comment="boost newbie">
> 
> Welcome to the club of confused, disoriented newbies <g>.
> 
> Several suggestions:
> 
> * Start with a VERY basic library and try to absorb "The Boost 
> Mentality".
> 
> * Stair-step up to a somewhat more difficult library ... repeat as 
> necessary
> 
> * At this point, the Karlsson book, "Beyond the C++ standard library" 
> might be helpful. For my purposes, the book had helpful regex 
> examples 
> (but regex is already relatively well documented, at least 
> compared to 
> several of the other Boost libraries I've wrestled with. Xpressive is 
> very well documented, IMHO)
> 
> * Adapt a mindset that learning Boost is critical to your career, so 
> giving up is not an option. (and when your neurons align "just so", 
> Boost is kinda fun <g>)
> 
> * Also a humble attitude ... you are "rubbing shoulders" with some 
> very smart people who are VERY busy, but passionate about Boost 
> prevailing in the marketplace.
> 
> * Keep notes to share with others to perhaps shorten their learning 
> curve.
> 
> I've found participants on this list to be VERY helpful and patient 
> with newbies, but they won't write your code for you.
> 
> </alert>
> 
> 
> 
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