On Wed, Mar 19, 2008 at 4:20 PM, Mathias Gaunard wrote:
Sergei Politov wrote:
As far as I understand it is possible to use in boost::any techniques similar to boost::function. I.e. split virtual behavior and actual data. It will help to avoid heap allocation while copying boost::any with stored small objects.
What do you think about adding it to next releases of boost?
Personally, I wonder if it wouldn't be more interesting to create an unified allocator system that allows Small Buffer Optimization, rather than rewriting the wheel for every component that may need it.
From a certain point of view, the small object optimizations used by boost::function is separate from optimizing memory allocations, as it avoids the need to allocate memory. In addition, it improves cache coherency.
I agree that boost::any can benefit not only from small object optimizations but also from the new allocator semantics of std::function, as defined in http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2007/n2308.html (which are identical to the allocator support in shared_ptr.) Emil Dotchevski Reverge Studios, Inc. http://www.revergestudios.com/reblog/index.php?n=ReCode