December 2014 - Boost - lists.preview.boost.org

[variant] Opinion on boost::safe_get<> and default boost::get<> behavior
by Antony Polukhin 18 Dec '15

18 Dec '15

Hi all, I'm in doubt and would like to hear opinions on the following issue. boost::get for boost::variant was not making any compile time checks, resulting in runtime errors where a compile time error must be: boost::variant<int, string> v(100); boost::get<bool>(&v); // returns NULL instead of compile time error boost::get<bool>(v); // throws exception on runtime instead of compile time error Now we have an implementation of compile time checked get in a separate branch at git: boost::variant<int, string> v(100); boost::safe_get<bool>(&v); // compile time error boost::safe_get<bool>(v); // compile time error boost::unsafe_get<bool>(&v); // returns NULL instead of compile time error boost::unsafe_get<bool>(v); // throws exception on runtime instead of compile time error I'm in doubt, what the default behavior of boost::get must be: * safe_get behavior is much closer to Standard Library behavior (just like std::get for tuples) and allows to avoid errors in user code * unsafe_get behavior is same as behavior of old boost::get and won't break user's code if boost::get is used in some generic contexs What's your opinion? -- Best regards, Antony Polukhin

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[context] msvc /SAFESEH
by Jeff Flinn 12 Aug '15

12 Aug '15

I need to build my application with /SAFESEH which uses boost coroutine which uses context. I'm getting the following link errors: 1>libboost_context-vc100-mt-gd-1_53.lib(jump_i386_ms_pe_masm.obj) : error LNK2026: module unsafe for SAFESEH image. 1>libboost_context-vc100-mt-gd-1_53.lib(make_i386_ms_pe_masm.obj) : error LNK2026: module unsafe for SAFESEH image. I've built boost static libs with the same MSVC vesion and options (sans /SAFESEH as it's not a compile/lib option) Compiler/linker versions: Microsoft (R) 32-bit C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 16.00.40219.01 for 80x86 Microsoft (R) Incremental Linker Version 10.00.40219.01 Has anyone run into this and resolved the error? Any insight is appreciated. Thanks, Jeff

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[SORT] Parallel Algorithms
by Francisco José Tapia 26 Mar '15

26 Mar '15

Sorry by the delay, As promised, the sorting parallel algorithms On my computer (Quad Core) the GCC std::sort and stable_sort are slight faster than my version of intro_sort and merge_sort (stable sort is a synonym of merge_sort). In other computer with an Intel I3, my algorithms are slight faster than in the GCC version. Trying to optimize the parallel implementation. I modified the parallel version for to use the std::sort and std::stable_sort. The parallel_sort version response good, but the parallel_stable_sort increase the time around a 60% compared with the version with countertree::parallel_merge_sort . After many test, I discover the cause of the problem. The demonstration is in the test_stress_sort_01.cpp. In this program we have a big vector of 100 000 000 elements uint64_t. The program make parts of the same size for each HW core. On my computer 4 parts and 4 cores. The program execute the part sequentially checking the time, and after do the same but in parallel, each thread sort a part, and check the time. This is done with the std::stable sort and countertree::merge_sort. The data input is the same for all. The next lines are the result show max. OpenMP threads: 4 (4 processors) Sort of 100000000 elements in a vector --------------------- Random elements, few repeated ( rand() )----------------------- Stable Sort Part 0 secs :2.77955 Part 1 secs :2.75015 Part 2 secs :2.76068 Part 3 secs :2.76284 Parallel Sort secs :8.49796 Countertree stable sort Part 0 secs :2.72802 Part 1 secs :2.71614 Part 2 secs :2.72074 Part 3 secs :2.722 Parallel Sort secs :4.80692 Surprisingly the parallel sort with countertree::stable_sort is much more faster than the sort with std::stable_sort in the GCC 4.8 and 4.9 compiler. This is the secret of the speed of the countertree::parallel_merge_sort. This is very important, because when the size of the elements is small, the GCC and the countertree algorithms have similar performance. But when the size of the elements grow, the std::stable sort is slower than the countertree::merge_sort. This difference is increased in the parallel version. The next lines are part of benchmark_sort_05.cpp *************************************************************** Sort of N = 6250000 elements of size 128 ***************************************************************** Random elements, few repeated ( rand() )----------------------- STL std::sort :2.9188 secs countertree::intro_sort :2.87864 secs parallel::sort :2.46113 secs tbb::parallel_sort :1.86458 secs countertree::parallel_sort:1.89263 secs std::stable_sort :8.77963 secs countertree::merge_sort :5.70694 secs parallel::stable_sort :8.03946 secs countertree::parallel_merge_sort :4.90815 secs I have in mind a new version of the stable sort in order to improve the speed, reducing the number of internal copy of elements. I hope to have time in Christmas, but I can't guarantee. If the results are the expected I will send you You have too, a version of indirect_sort, which sort pointers to the elements, and at end sort the elements according the pointers. You can replace any sort algorithm by their indirect version, obtaining the same results, with the only difference of the time needed. You have a benchmark_indirect_sort.cpp where see the comparison of the time needed of several sort methods and their indirect version with elements of different size. This code is a preliminary version, done for my countertree library. If you consider useful, I will change the name space and document the code, the algorithms and the ideas obtained from the benchmarks. Please feel free for ask me any question or for to modify or change anything. The goal is to provide good sort methods to the users. In the zip file you have the code and a file with a description of each code. Yours

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[test] boost.test owner unresponsive to persistent problems for multiple years
by legalize+jeeves＠mail.xmission.com 18 Mar '15

18 Mar '15

[Please do not mail me a copy of your followup] See <https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/10888> and <http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5209625/boost-test-error-messages-are-no…> Both contain a fix for this. On stack overflow the proposed fix is literally a single line change. This has been a problem for about 5 years and these simple fixes don't make it into the library. I'm sorry, but IMO this just isn't acceptable behavior for an owner of a library. Four years ago the maintainer made a comment on stack overflow thread to file a ticket on trac and then simply dropped the issue there as far as I can tell. That isn't proactive behavior, particularly when the stack overflow thread contains the fix. I know what you're going to say "the trac ticket was just filed a few days ago", but that's simply me pushing hard on something that should have been fixed around 2010. The problem has been known FOR FIVE YEARS and is EASY TO FIX. -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" free book <http://tinyurl.com/d3d-pipeline> The Computer Graphics Museum <http://computergraphicsmuseum.org> The Terminals Wiki <http://terminals.classiccmp.org> Legalize Adulthood! (my blog) <http://legalizeadulthood.wordpress.com>

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[build] b2 headers broken?
by Eric Niebler 02 Mar '15

02 Mar '15

I just updated to the latest develop. I ran bootstrap, then nuked my boost directory and reran b2 headers. Worked fine. Then I changed directory to libs/proto/test and ran ../../../b2 mem_ptr to run a test. Here's what I get: f:\modular-boost\libs\proto\test>..\..\..\b2 mem_ptr Performing configuration checks - symlinks supported : no - junctions supported : yes - hardlinks supported : yes ...patience... ...patience... ...found 4951 targets... ...updating 441 targets... common.mkdir ..\..\..\bin.v2\libs common.mkdir ..\..\..\bin.v2\libs\proto common.mkdir ..\..\..\bin.v2\libs\proto\test common.mkdir ..\..\..\bin.v2\libs\proto\test\mem_ptr.test common.mkdir ..\..\..\bin.v2\libs\proto\test\mem_ptr.test\msvc-12.0 common.mkdir ..\..\..\bin.v2\libs\proto\test\mem_ptr.test\msvc-12.0\debug common.mkdir ..\..\..\bin.v2\libs\proto\test\mem_ptr.test\msvc-12.0\debug\link-static common.mkdir ..\..\..\bin.v2\libs\proto\test\mem_ptr.test\msvc-12.0\debug\link-static\threading-multi link.rm ..\..\..\boost\mpl common.mkdir ..\..\..\boost\mpl link.hardlink ..\..\..\boost\mpl\print.hpp Hardlink created for ..\..\..\boost\mpl\print.hpp <<===>> ..\..\mpl\include\boost\mpl\print.hpp <snip> link.rm ..\..\..\boost\numeric\conversion link.hardlink ..\..\..\boost\numeric\conversion\conversion_traits.hpp The system cannot find the path specified. if exist "..\..\..\boost\numeric\conversion\conversion_traits.hpp" del "..\..\..\boost\numeric\conversion\conversion _traits.hpp" mklink /H "..\..\..\boost\numeric\conversion\conversion_traits.hpp" "..\..\numeric\conversion\include\boost\numeric\ conversion\conversion_traits.hpp" ...failed link.hardlink ..\..\..\boost\numeric\conversion\conversion_traits.hpp... link.hardlink ..\..\..\boost\numeric\conversion\int_float_mixture_enum.hpp The system cannot find the path specified. For some reason, b2 thinks it needs to rerun b2 headers, but it does a crap job of it and dies. What's going on? Eric

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PDF versions of Quickbook generated documentation - Do you like the serif font?
by Paul A. Bristow 14 Jan '15

14 Jan '15

I've noted that for documentation using the Quickbook toolchain, we use a serif font (Times Roman?) for the PDF, but a sans serif for the equivalent HTML version. Is there a reason for this? Should they not be the same font? (So that they look the same?) Which do we prefer? Should we change either or both? Paul --- Paul A. Bristow Prizet Farmhouse Kendal UK LA8 8AB +44 (0) 1539 561830

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Boost.Sort library hierarchy and namespacing
by Steven Ross 08 Jan '15

08 Jan '15

For the Boost.Sort library, I'm planning to add these (non-detail) files: boost/sort/sort.hpp boost/sort/spreadsort/spreadsort.hpp boost/sort/spreadsort/integer_sort.hpp boost/sort/spreadsort/float_sort.hpp boost/sort/spreadsort/string_sort.hpp Should all of these be in the boost::sort namespace? It seems silly to have a boost::sort::spreadsort namespace when there are only 5 publicly-visible functions in it. I actually can't imagine how of these names will conflict with names in other boost libraries, but using a boost::sort namespace appears conventional. Are there any objections or concerns based on this? Once this is done, I'd like to integrate this library into the boost build and testing system for the next appropriate release (I test it currently with modular boost).

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Directory structure not quite right yet?
by Peter Dimov 08 Jan '15

08 Jan '15

Typically, when some library is installed in, say, $LIB, its headers reside in $LIB/include and its .a/.lib files in $LIB/lib. Our libraries, when built, go to $BOOST/stage/lib, which is close enough. But our header directory is just $BOOST, which doesn't seem right, as the whole of Boost is accessible through it. It makes sense, at least to me, to have the headers in $BOOST/include/boost, instead of just $BOOST/boost. The transition to Git would have been a good time to switch to that - there were enough other changes to the structure. I'm not saying that we should switch right away or something like that, but am I the only one to whom such a switch (at some unspecified time in the future) seems a good idea?

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[Tick] Universal quantified concepts/traits
by Vicente J. Botet Escriba 06 Jan '15

06 Jan '15

Hi, I'm trying to represent the concept of a mathematical Functor (as in Haskell) with Concept Lite. Here is what I want to express: A Functor W is a type constructor for wrappers of another type T providing a function map taking a function (T) -> U and a W<T> and returning a W<U>. Here is how I think that could be done with Concept Lite. If I understand the proposal correctly we need to add the type T and the function parameter to the concept. concept Functor<typename W, typename T, typename F > = requires { using WT = ApplyType<W, T>; // type constructor using U = ResultType<F, T>; using WU = ApplyType<W, U>; Function<F, U, T> && requires (F f, WT wt) { WU { map(f, wt) }; } }; But this is not exactly what I want to conceptualize. The wrapped type T and the function F should be universally quantified, that is, the concept concerns only the type constructor W: Functor<W>. I have a problem introducing the universal quantification of T and F. I don't know how to do it without using again a template. concept Functor<typename W> = template <typename T, typename F> // universal quantification on T and F requires { using WT = ApplyType<W, T>; using U = ResultType<F, T>; using WU = ApplyType<W, U>; Function<F, U, T> && requires (F f, WT wt) { WU { map(f, wt) }; } } }; But this is not valid code, isn't it. Is there something wrong with this kind of concepts? What would be the best way to conceptualize this kind of concepts with the Tick library ? Best, Vicente

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[status] explicit-failures-markup.xml edit permissions
by Vladimir Batov 05 Jan '15

05 Jan '15

On some compilers some of my SFINAE-related "convert" regression tests fail. So, I tried to update status/explicit-failures-markup.xml to explicitly mark those test failures rather than masking/disabling them. For understandable reasons I have no permissions to modify the file, so that update of mine was denied. I tried contacting Daniel James as he often helps me with build matters but he is seemingly unavailable. I am hoping someone else might have edit-permissions to the file and be kind enough to add the following code (below) to the file for me? My apologies for such a wide post or if my request is misdirected. Your help in the matter is much appreciated. Thanks, Vladimir.  <library name="convert"> <test name="convert_test_has_begin"> <mark-failure> <toolset name="msvc-8.0*"/> <toolset name="msvc-9.0*"/> <toolset name="msvc-10.0*"/> <toolset name="msvc-11.0*"/> <note author="Vladimir Batov"> The relevant SFINAE support is broken in MSVC up to version 11. </note> </mark-failure> </test> </library>

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