New subject: [Boost-Users] A tip from the Dr.

23 Jan 2002

      Hey guys,

I sent an e-mail to Dr. Stroustrup a couple nights ago, and he 
replied, "Have a look at boost.org. They exist specifically to 
provide better libraries in the context of the C++ standard library 
and to act as a test bed for new library ideas".

So, here I am.  I've installed and built my boost libraries, and I'm 
trying to figure out how to dig in.

Anyway, here's what I was telling the Dr.  

	I've been using C for about a decade, and C++ for about 7 
yrs.  I'm a huge fan of your invention, and I honestly feel like your 
name should eventually be as well known as Tesla and Edison.  And the 
Standard Template Library is an incredibly well engineered system.  I 
have a way to use it that is generic enough that it may be a 
candidate to be another standard.  I know that's a lot to say.  I'd 
like to explain it briefly, but first I should explain why I find it 
useful.

	Since I started working with assembler, I've always felt like 
the language I was using was missing something.  I've used an 
assortment of languages, and it seems like they are all missing the 
same thing.  The main part isn't really missing from C++, it's just 
not commonly understood.  The concept of virtual construction is the 
core of the issue.  Now I know that this problem is solved, but it 
really could stand for just one more thing to wrap it up into 
something usable for any ordinary C++ developer.

	Using a virtual constructor by way of a template, a developer 
can easily create any kind of object based on any type of identifier, 
but what good is that when the developer has exhausted all of his 
efforts on just building a simple system to dynamically create 
objects.  The developer needs a way to organize these objects, 
without building another data warehouse.  And I have never heard of a 
complicated database that shouldn't be fully hierarchical.  So, the 
system should be one hundred percent re-entrant.

	Well, I have such a beast.  I'm not done with it yet.  I'm 
just now finishing up a project for Textron, where some of this 
concept was cultivated into my skill set.  I am having a rough time 
explaining the system to my boss, and I'm in a real bind, but that's 
another story.  The main thing that I've learned from this job is 
that the world needs to come together on one simple international 
standard for dealing with data and persistent C++ objects.

	I've used my ClassFactory / DataStore system as a foundation 
for another library that I call the WinFactory.  This system simply 
uses the ClassFactory / DataStore as a database manager.  The objects 
held in the database are simply graphical user interface components.  
This worked out really well, `till by boss took it apart.  But I have 
a version of it that I'm re-writing at home that is much better.  The 
database can be held either in a simple text format, resembling 
hypertext, or a binary file.  The system relies heavily on the memory 
manager, so fast memory allocation is required.

	I have also populated an MFC user interface with data held in 
these objects.  The system seems to be able to flex with just about 
anything, and I feel like it could at least contribute to discussions 
about new standards that are based on your standards.  By the way, I 
need to find a team that I can work with who has good work ethics and 
integrity.  Suggestions would be much appreciated.

.....

So, I've looked at the library list in Boost, and haven't recognized 
anything like what I've built.  I would love to explain this system.  
But, again, this one belongs to Textron, and all of the documentation 
too.  I need to find some time to build this system for Boost.org.

The main concept behind the system is a warehouse environment.  The 
warehouse hase isles of goods.  Each isle is any length, and each 
isle contains exactly one type of product.  And every product 
contains a single pointer which is initally NULL.  This makes it so 
that when you pull the product off the shelf and open it, you will 
see whatever the product is ( characters, integers, strings, etc. ), 
and you will find one more thing.  It's called the nest.  Now, until 
you try to use the nest, it's empty (NULL).  But when you need it, it 
is created.  What is this nest you ask?  It's another warehouse.  
Just like the one that it is contained within.

So, the entier concept is one hundred percent re-entrant.  This makes 
it easy to build hierarchical infrastructures.  The objects can be 
virtually any C++ thing.  They persist with the greatest of ease to 
simple IO objects.

User interfaces are easy to build with this system.  Content editors 
view it as a script.  C++ programmers view the script as C++ objects.

Again, I need to finish re-writing the system, and I need to document 
it.  But I feel like it is a candidate to become another Boost 
library.

What do you think?????

A tip from the Dr.

jackthompson99

Jeremy Siek

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