October 2010 - Boost - lists.preview.boost.org

[SoC] BGL project idea
by Gautam Sewani 03 Jan '11

03 Jan '11

Hi, I am a Computer Science student hoping to contribute to Boost for this year's summer of code. I had a few questions regarding the BGL project idea (https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/wiki/SoC2010#Boost.Graph) for SOC 2010. 1. I can think of only a few places where the suggested algorithms will be used. Does the community think that these algorithms are used frequently enough to put them in a library? How important does the community consider this project? 2. Will the project proposal be expected to include the API design? Thanks and Regards Gautam

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[Review][Ratio] Boost.Ratio has been ACCEPTED
by Anthony Williams 01 Jan '11

01 Jan '11

Hi, I am pleased to announce that Boost.Ratio has been ACCEPTED into Boost. There were not as many reviews for Boost.Ratio as for some libraries, but they were overwhelmingly positive. Boost.Ratio is an important building block for other upcoming submissions, and provides an implementation of the C++0x rational arithmetic facilities. A few changes were requested by the reviewers, which I will list below. I know that Vicente has already started working on some of these. These changes should be addressed before the library appears in a Boost release. * Some of the macros had names with RATIO_RATIO in. These should be changed to just RATIO * The ratio_add, ratio_sub, ratio_multiply and ratio_divide templates should derive from the resulting ratio type as well as providing the nested ::type member, in order to closely emulate the template alias facility from C++0x * The typos in the documentation should be fixed, and the documentation reviewed for correctness and clarity (though several of the reviewers made positive comments on the quality of the documentation). * The library needs more tests under the Boost Software License. * All references to names from the boost namespace should be qualified with boost:: to avoid potential name clashes and ambiguity with names from the global namespace. * Sections commented out with #if 0 should be removed * The extensions beyond the facilities required by the C++0x draft should be able to be enabled or disabled through use of a configuration macro. * References to the tests, examples and documentation from within the code should be checked for correctness. I would like to thank Vicente for submitting the library and those that took the time to write a review. Anthony -- Author of C++ Concurrency in Action http://www.stdthread.co.uk/book/ just::thread C++0x thread library http://www.stdthread.co.uk Just Software Solutions Ltd http://www.justsoftwaresolutions.co.uk 15 Carrallack Mews, St Just, Cornwall, TR19 7UL, UK. Company No. 5478976

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[gil] New IO release
by Christian Henning 30 Nov '10

30 Nov '10

Hi there, a new gil IO extension is ready for download. Here is the link: http://code.google.com/p/gil-contributions/downloads/detail?name=boost_revi… This is the final version that will be used for the boost review. Could someone try to build documentation on Linux? Thanks to all people that have helped me out. Regards, Christian

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[GIL] [patch] read multipage TIFF files
by Robert Pollak 29 Nov '10

29 Nov '10

Hello, the following patch (against the current trunk) allows to read any page of a multipage TIFF file, by optionally specifying the zero-based directory number. (The correct term for a TIFF page is "directory".) It adds a "dirnum" to the relevant functions, and uses the corresponding libtiff functionality. The "dirnum" default value is 0 for compatibility with present callers. Additionally, it defines the function tiff_get_directory_count to get the number of directories in the TIFF file. Please give me some feedback or consider applying the patch. This patch would close the corresponding feature request https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/2373 . Credits go to Roland Richter, whose code the patch is based on. Best Regards, Robert Pollak Index: boost/gil/extension/io/tiff_io.hpp =================================================================== --- boost/gil/extension/io/tiff_io.hpp (revision 64065) +++ boost/gil/extension/io/tiff_io.hpp (working copy) @@ -122,9 +122,13 @@ protected: TIFF *_tp; public: - tiff_reader(const char* filename) { + tiff_reader(const char* filename,tdir_t dirnum=0) { io_error_if((_tp=TIFFOpen(filename,"r"))==NULL, "tiff_reader: fail to open file"); + if(dirnum>0) { + io_error_if(TIFFSetDirectory(_tp,dirnum)!=1, + "tiff_reader: fail to set directory"); + } } ~tiff_reader() { TIFFClose(_tp); } template <typename View> @@ -171,10 +175,10 @@ private: CC _cc; public: - tiff_reader_color_convert(const char* filename) : - tiff_reader(filename) {} - tiff_reader_color_convert(const char* filename,CC cc_in) : - tiff_reader(filename),_cc(cc_in) {} + tiff_reader_color_convert(const char* filename,tdir_t dirnum=0) : + tiff_reader(filename,dirnum) {} + tiff_reader_color_convert(const char* filename,CC cc_in,tdir_t dirnum=0) : + tiff_reader(filename,dirnum),_cc(cc_in) {} template <typename View> void apply(const View& view) { point2<std::ptrdiff_t> dims=get_dimensions(); @@ -336,18 +340,34 @@ }; /// \ingroup TIFF_IO +/// \brief Returns the number of directories in the TIFF file +inline int tiff_get_directory_count(const char* filename) { + TIFF *tif; + io_error_if((tif=TIFFOpen(filename,"r"))==NULL, + "tiff_get_count: fail to open file"); + + int dircount = 0; + do { + dircount++; + } while (TIFFReadDirectory(tif)); + + TIFFClose(tif); + return dircount; +} + +/// \ingroup TIFF_IO /// \brief Returns the width and height of the TIFF file at the specified location. /// Throws std::ios_base::failure if the location does not correspond to a valid TIFF file -inline point2<std::ptrdiff_t> tiff_read_dimensions(const char* filename) { - detail::tiff_reader m(filename); +inline point2<std::ptrdiff_t> tiff_read_dimensions(const char* filename,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + detail::tiff_reader m(filename,dirnum); return m.get_dimensions(); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO /// \brief Returns the width and height of the TIFF file at the specified location. /// Throws std::ios_base::failure if the location does not correspond to a valid TIFF file -inline point2<std::ptrdiff_t> tiff_read_dimensions(const std::string& filename) { - return tiff_read_dimensions(filename.c_str()); +inline point2<std::ptrdiff_t> tiff_read_dimensions(const std::string& filename,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + return tiff_read_dimensions(filename.c_str(),dirnum); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO @@ -356,17 +376,17 @@ /// Throws std::ios_base::failure if the file is not a valid TIFF file, or if its color space or channel depth are not /// compatible with the ones specified by View, or if its dimensions don't match the ones of the view. template <typename View> -inline void tiff_read_view(const char* filename,const View& view) { +inline void tiff_read_view(const char* filename,const View& view,tdir_t dirnum=0) { BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(tiff_read_support<View>::is_supported); - detail::tiff_reader m(filename); + detail::tiff_reader m(filename,dirnum); m.apply(view); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO /// \brief Loads the image specified by the given tiff image file name into the given view. template <typename View> -inline void tiff_read_view(const std::string& filename,const View& view) { - tiff_read_view(filename.c_str(),view); +inline void tiff_read_view(const std::string& filename,const View& view,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + tiff_read_view(filename.c_str(),view,dirnum); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO @@ -375,25 +395,25 @@ /// Throws std::ios_base::failure if the file is not a valid TIFF file, or if its color space or channel depth are not /// compatible with the ones specified by Image template <typename Image> -void tiff_read_image(const char* filename,Image& im) { +void tiff_read_image(const char* filename,Image& im,tdir_t dirnum=0) { BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(tiff_read_support<typename Image::view_t>::is_supported); - detail::tiff_reader m(filename); + detail::tiff_reader m(filename,dirnum); m.read_image(im); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO /// \brief Allocates a new image whose dimensions are determined by the given tiff image file, and loads the pixels into it. template <typename Image> -inline void tiff_read_image(const std::string& filename,Image& im) { - tiff_read_image(filename.c_str(),im); +inline void tiff_read_image(const std::string& filename,Image& im,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + tiff_read_image(filename.c_str(),im,dirnum); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO /// \brief Loads and color-converts the image specified by the given tiff image file name into the given view. /// Throws std::ios_base::failure if the file is not a valid TIFF file, or if its dimensions don't match the ones of the view. template <typename View,typename CC> -inline void tiff_read_and_convert_view(const char* filename,const View& view,CC cc) { - detail::tiff_reader_color_convert<CC> m(filename,cc); +inline void tiff_read_and_convert_view(const char* filename,const View& view,CC cc,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + detail::tiff_reader_color_convert<CC> m(filename,cc,dirnum); m.apply(view); } @@ -401,31 +421,31 @@ /// \brief Loads and color-converts the image specified by the given tiff image file name into the given view. /// Throws std::ios_base::failure if the file is not a valid TIFF file, or if its dimensions don't match the ones of the view. template <typename View> -inline void tiff_read_and_convert_view(const char* filename,const View& view) { - detail::tiff_reader_color_convert<default_color_converter> m(filename,default_color_converter()); +inline void tiff_read_and_convert_view(const char* filename,const View& view,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + detail::tiff_reader_color_convert<default_color_converter> m(filename,default_color_converter(),dirnum); m.apply(view); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO /// \brief Loads and color-converts the image specified by the given tiff image file name into the given view. template <typename View,typename CC> -inline void tiff_read_and_convert_view(const std::string& filename,const View& view,CC cc) { - tiff_read_and_convert_view(filename.c_str(),view,cc); +inline void tiff_read_and_convert_view(const std::string& filename,const View& view,CC cc,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + tiff_read_and_convert_view(filename.c_str(),view,cc,dirnum); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO /// \brief Loads and color-converts the image specified by the given tiff image file name into the given view. template <typename View> -inline void tiff_read_and_convert_view(const std::string& filename,const View& view) { - tiff_read_and_convert_view(filename.c_str(),view); +inline void tiff_read_and_convert_view(const std::string& filename,const View& view,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + tiff_read_and_convert_view(filename.c_str(),view,dirnum); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO /// \brief Allocates a new image whose dimensions are determined by the given tiff image file, loads and color-converts the pixels into it. /// Throws std::ios_base::failure if the file is not a valid TIFF file template <typename Image,typename CC> -void tiff_read_and_convert_image(const char* filename,Image& im,CC cc) { - detail::tiff_reader_color_convert<CC> m(filename,cc); +void tiff_read_and_convert_image(const char* filename,Image& im,CC cc,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + detail::tiff_reader_color_convert<CC> m(filename,cc,dirnum); m.read_image(im); } @@ -433,23 +453,23 @@ /// \brief Allocates a new image whose dimensions are determined by the given tiff image file, loads and color-converts the pixels into it. /// Throws std::ios_base::failure if the file is not a valid TIFF file template <typename Image> -void tiff_read_and_convert_image(const char* filename,Image& im) { - detail::tiff_reader_color_convert<default_color_converter> m(filename,default_color_converter()); +void tiff_read_and_convert_image(const char* filename,Image& im,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + detail::tiff_reader_color_convert<default_color_converter> m(filename,default_color_converter(),dirnum); m.read_image(im); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO /// \brief Allocates a new image whose dimensions are determined by the given tiff image file, loads and color-converts the pixels into it. template <typename Image,typename CC> -inline void tiff_read_and_convert_image(const std::string& filename,Image& im,CC cc) { - tiff_read_and_convert_image(filename.c_str(),im,cc); +inline void tiff_read_and_convert_image(const std::string& filename,Image& im,CC cc,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + tiff_read_and_convert_image(filename.c_str(),im,cc,dirnum); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO /// \brief Allocates a new image whose dimensions are determined by the given tiff image file, loads and color-converts the pixels into it. template <typename Image> -inline void tiff_read_and_convert_image(const std::string& filename,Image& im) { - tiff_read_and_convert_image(filename.c_str(),im); +inline void tiff_read_and_convert_image(const std::string& filename,Image& im,tdir_t dirnum=0) { + tiff_read_and_convert_image(filename.c_str(),im,dirnum); } /// \ingroup TIFF_IO

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[guidelines] why template errors suck
by Eric Niebler 26 Nov '10

26 Nov '10

This is borderline self-promotion and I fretted posting this. But we a community of advanced C++ library developers and I'd really like feedback about these issues. And they really do involve Boost library development. If we could reach agreement about these techniques, we might want to integrate them into Boost's coding guidelines. http://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/diddg/expressive_c_why_templat… Comments? -- Eric Niebler BoostPro Computing http://www.boostpro.com

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Bug-fix volunteers: risks, downsides?
by Jim Bell 26 Nov '10

26 Nov '10

To round out the discussion... What risks or downsides would there be to recruiting a little legion of bug-fix volunteers and turning them loose on the tickets and/or regression matrix?

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LLVM license compatibility with BSL
by vicente.botet 19 Nov '10

19 Nov '10

Hi, I have found quite useful to adapt the test for llvm/libc++ ratio/chrono to test Boost.Ratio and Boost.Chrono. But Anthony has signaled me that maybe there is a compatibility problem with the license included in these files. //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===// // // The LLVM Compiler Infrastructure // // This file is distributed under the University of Illinois Open Source // License. See LICENSE.TXT for details. // //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===// Is the LLVM License (http://llvm.org/docs/DeveloperPolicy.html#license) compatible with the Boost Software License? Can we include files with this comment on a Boost library? Best, _____________________ Vicente Juan Botet Escribá http://viboes.blogspot.com/

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What's so cool about Boost.MPI?
by David Abrahams 18 Nov '10

18 Nov '10

Just wanted to call some attention to this article I wrote about Boost.MPI: http://daveabrahams.com/2010/09/03/whats-so-cool-about-boost-mpi/ I think it might be useful to link that from the Boost.MPI docs, too. -- Dave Abrahams BoostPro Computing http://www.boostpro.com

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Interest in B-tree library for Boost?
by Beman Dawes 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

A Boost B-tree library would provide disk-based associative containers that scale all the way from really, really, small to really, really, large. B-trees perform well on hardware ranging from ancient floppy disk drives all the way up to humongous disk arrays. They are the technology behind most high-performance disk file systems and databases. If you don't know what a B-tree is, or think that "B-tree" is an abbreviation for "Binary tree", you might want to read the Wikipedia B-Tree article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-tree. Knuth and other computer science texts also supply descriptions. See http://mysite.verizon.net/beman/btree/index.html for a more complete description of the proposed library. A preliminary implementation is available. Download http://mysite.verizon.net/beman/btree/btree-preview-1.zip, and unpack into a current Boost distribution. A few existing Jamfiles will be overwritten. The only compilers tested and working so far are VC++ 10 and GCC/MinGW 4.5. You can view the library online at http://github.com/Beman/Boost-Btree There is no detailed documentation yet, but if you know how to use std::map and other standard library associative containers, you already know most of what you need to know. Critical differences are documented in the Library Characteristics section of the index.html page referenced above. Initial timing tests have been very encouraging. The time test compares the btree_map implementation to std::map. As expected, a btree_map is many times slower than a std::map, given a cold operating system file cache and constraining the btree_map's caching to a minimum. But at the other extreme, when the O/S file cache is warm and the btree_map's cache is as large as the file, the btree_map is very similar in speed to std::map.The btree library's code is still very new, so timings and everything else may be subject to lots of revision. Any interest? --Beman

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[function] function wrapping with no exception safety guarantee
by Daniel Walker 15 Nov '10

15 Nov '10

Hi all, A few weeks ago, there was a request to remove boost::function's dependency on boost::throw_exception when the user ensures that boost::function is always initialized before attempting a call. https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/4646 Providing an alternative invocation method in addition to the call operator is an unattractive solution for many reasons; e.g. boost::function would be less function-like syntacticly. Instead, why not provide an alternative function wrapper with no exception safety guarantee and no dependency on boost::throw_exception? Thanks to Boost.Function's implementation design, which uses preprocessor metaprogramming to generate many function wrappers with different arities, it is simple to generate a function wrapper with no exception safety guarantee. I have submitted a feature request with a patch that implements boost::unsafe_function -- a function wrapper with no exception safety guarantee -- along with tests and updated documentation. https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/4720 unsafe_function's API and semantics are identical to boost::function except that the behavior of operator() is undefined when uninitialized. Also, swap, constructor and assignment operators have been added to allow an unsafe_function to wrap the target of a boost::function and vice versa. unsafe_function is primarily useful in certain environments in which exceptions and/or compiler optimizations are unavailable, such as some embedded systems. On contemporary PC hardware, unsafe_function typically would not have an advantage over boost::function. For example, with object code generated by gcc -O2, I could only detect a ~1% difference between the two in terms of runtime costs using a simple benchmark; i.e. less than a nanosecond. However, with -O1, unsafe_function costs ~15% less than boost::function due to the lack of overhead from the strong exception safety guarantee. Thoughts? Daniel Walker

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