Hi Jack, Since this is an email about Boost library development, and not about using current boost libraries, then you might want to direct this email to boost@yahoogroups.com instead. Also, you might want to give a more concrete description (show code examples), so people can better understand the problem you are solving with your library. Most boosters speak C++ better than prose :) Cheers, Jeremy On Wed, 23 Jan 2002, jackthompson99 wrote: JMThom> Hey guys, JMThom> JMThom> I sent an e-mail to Dr. Stroustrup a couple nights ago, and he JMThom> replied, "Have a look at boost.org. They exist specifically to JMThom> provide better libraries in the context of the C++ standard library JMThom> and to act as a test bed for new library ideas". JMThom> JMThom> So, here I am. I've installed and built my boost libraries, and I'm JMThom> trying to figure out how to dig in. JMThom> JMThom> Anyway, here's what I was telling the Dr. JMThom> JMThom> I've been using C for about a decade, and C++ for about 7 JMThom> yrs. I'm a huge fan of your invention, and I honestly feel like your JMThom> name should eventually be as well known as Tesla and Edison. And the JMThom> Standard Template Library is an incredibly well engineered system. I JMThom> have a way to use it that is generic enough that it may be a JMThom> candidate to be another standard. I know that's a lot to say. I'd JMThom> like to explain it briefly, but first I should explain why I find it JMThom> useful. JMThom> JMThom> Since I started working with assembler, I've always felt like JMThom> the language I was using was missing something. I've used an JMThom> assortment of languages, and it seems like they are all missing the JMThom> same thing. The main part isn't really missing from C++, it's just JMThom> not commonly understood. The concept of virtual construction is the JMThom> core of the issue. Now I know that this problem is solved, but it JMThom> really could stand for just one more thing to wrap it up into JMThom> something usable for any ordinary C++ developer�. JMThom> JMThom> Using a virtual constructor by way of a template, a developer JMThom> can easily create any kind of object based on any type of identifier, JMThom> but what good is that when the developer has exhausted all of his JMThom> efforts on just building a simple system to dynamically create JMThom> objects. The developer needs a way to organize these objects, JMThom> without building another data warehouse. And I have never heard of a JMThom> complicated database that shouldn't be fully hierarchical. So, the JMThom> system should be one hundred percent re-entrant. JMThom> JMThom> Well, I have such a beast. I'm not done with it yet. I'm JMThom> just now finishing up a project for Textron, where some of this JMThom> concept was cultivated into my skill set. I am having a rough time JMThom> explaining the system to my boss, and I'm in a real bind, but that's JMThom> another story. The main thing that I've learned from this job is JMThom> that the world needs to come together on one simple international JMThom> standard for dealing with data and persistent C++ objects. JMThom> JMThom> I've used my ClassFactory / DataStore system as a foundation JMThom> for another library that I call the WinFactory. This system simply JMThom> uses the ClassFactory / DataStore as a database manager. The objects JMThom> held in the database are simply graphical user interface components. JMThom> This worked out really well, `till by boss took it apart. But I have JMThom> a version of it that I'm re-writing at home that is much better. The JMThom> database can be held either in a simple text format, resembling JMThom> hypertext, or a binary file. The system relies heavily on the memory JMThom> manager, so fast memory allocation is required. JMThom> JMThom> I have also populated an MFC user interface with data held in JMThom> these objects. The system seems to be able to flex with just about JMThom> anything, and I feel like it could at least contribute to discussions JMThom> about new standards that are based on your standards. By the way, I JMThom> need to find a team that I can work with who has good work ethics and JMThom> integrity. Suggestions would be much appreciated. JMThom> JMThom> JMThom> ..... JMThom> JMThom> JMThom> So, I've looked at the library list in Boost, and haven't recognized JMThom> anything like what I've built. I would love to explain this system. JMThom> But, again, this one belongs to Textron, and all of the documentation JMThom> too. I need to find some time to build this system for Boost.org. JMThom> JMThom> The main concept behind the system is a warehouse environment. The JMThom> warehouse hase isles of goods. Each isle is any length, and each JMThom> isle contains exactly one type of product. And every product JMThom> contains a single pointer which is initally NULL. This makes it so JMThom> that when you pull the product off the shelf and open it, you will JMThom> see whatever the product is ( characters, integers, strings, etc. ), JMThom> and you will find one more thing. It's called the nest. Now, until JMThom> you try to use the nest, it's empty (NULL). But when you need it, it JMThom> is created. What is this nest you ask? It's another warehouse. JMThom> Just like the one that it is contained within. JMThom> JMThom> So, the entier concept is one hundred percent re-entrant. This makes JMThom> it easy to build hierarchical infrastructures. The objects can be JMThom> virtually any C++ thing. They persist with the greatest of ease to JMThom> simple IO objects. JMThom> JMThom> User interfaces are easy to build with this system. Content editors JMThom> view it as a script. C++ programmers view the script as C++ objects. JMThom> JMThom> Again, I need to finish re-writing the system, and I need to document JMThom> it. But I feel like it is a candidate to become another Boost JMThom> library. JMThom> JMThom> What do you think????? JMThom> JMThom> JMThom> JMThom> JMThom> JMThom> JMThom> JMThom> JMThom> Info: <http://www.boost.org> JMThom> Wiki: <http://www.crystalclearsoftware.com/cgi-bin/boost_wiki/wiki.pl> JMThom> Unsubscribe: <mailto:boost-users-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> JMThom> JMThom> JMThom> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ JMThom> JMThom> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Jeremy Siek http://php.indiana.edu/~jsiek/ Ph.D. Student, Indiana Univ. B'ton email: jsiek@osl.iu.edu C++ Booster (http://www.boost.org) office phone: (812) 855-3608 ----------------------------------------------------------------------