Re: [Boost-users] [Filesystem] operator/ vs operator/=

From: Richard (legalize+jeeves_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-04-01 17:52:27

[Please do not mail me a copy of your followup]

boost-users_at_[hidden] spake the secret code
<loom.20080401T194410-421_at_[hidden]> thusly:

>I have a string class (tstring) which takes care of narrow <=> wide string
>conversions, and which provides operators for conversion to std::string and
>std::wstring:
>
>    operator std::wstring &();
>    operator std::string &();
>    operator const std::wstring &() const;
>    operator const std::string &() const;

I used to think that implicit conversions were great, until I read
"C++ Coding Standards: 101 Rules, Guidelines, and Best Practices" by
Sutter and Alexandrescu.  Now I eschew implicit conversions and use an
explicit conversion where needed.

I know that doesn't really answer your question about why it used to
work and why it doesn't anymore, but had you written the code with an
explicit conversion to std::string, it would have worked before and
would still work now.

I guess that shows the wisdom of why implicit conversions should be
avoided...
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