Re: [Boost-users] identity function

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] identity function
From: Emil Dotchevski (emildotchevski_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-10-01 19:30:59

2011/10/1 Krzysztof Żelechowski <giecrilj_at_[hidden]>:
> I use the following function on a regular basis:
>
> template < class P_T > P_T const &same (P_T const &p) { return p; }
>
> I use it for two purposes:
>
> Â 1. to pass an identity function to an API that expects a unary function,
> Â 2. to help the compiler identify the right chain of type conversions.
>
> The standard uses static_cast for (2), which could be used but it disables
> some compile-time verification so I would rather not use static_cast when
> not absolutely necessary.
>
> I have been unable to find a corresponding feature in Boost (although the
> value factory comes close). Â Do you think adding such a function to Boost
> utilities would be worthwhile?

IMHO such one-liners are better kept not only out of Boost but out of
any documented headers and/or namespaces.

Emil Dotchevski
Reverge Studios, Inc.
http://www.revergestudios.com/reblog/index.php?n=ReCode