-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On 05/03/2010 01:28 AM, vicente.botet wrote:
What is the meaning of flags static const flag_t flag_negative = 0x01; static const flag_t flag_readonly = 0x02; static const flag_t flag_fixedlength = 0x04;
The first is used (in the 'flags' bitfield) to denote a negative number. The second identifies data_t items that are meant to never be modified (the zero items assigned when new integers are created without specifying a value, for instance). The third is used on fixed_integer types, to tell the base_integer allocation code to use some special handling for them. [...]
I don't understand why any of these informations is not stored on data_t.
flag_negative isn't stored in data_t because if it were, I'd have to make a deep copy of every number when I only want to make it negative for a temporary calculation. flag_fixedlength isn't stored in data_t because that would defeat the purpose of it, which is to identify a fixed_integer to the allocation functions when no data_t has been allocated for it yet. flag_readonly isn't stored in data_t because I'd have to store yet another variable there to handle it, which would be inefficient because I had plenty of room in this really handy flag variable that I already had to have in base_integer anyway.
In addition no information must be stored on base integer that concerns fixed_integer. This is a bad design option, IMHO.
And IMNSHO it isn't. Please give me the courtesy that you would offer any professional that you meet in the physical world, and assume that I have a good reason for every choice I've made until proven otherwise. I know I'm overreacting, and that I shouldn't answer e-mails like this when I'm tired. I do appreciate that I asked you guys to do this, and that you're only trying to make it better. But please also remember that it's a hell of a lot easier to criticize something than to do it yourself. 'Nuf said. - -- Chad Nelson Oak Circle Software, Inc. * * * -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.10 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/ iEYEARECAAYFAkvebbQACgkQp9x9jeZ9/wRmRwCbB/Kf1uajxL7o9XYzXk/yrhXW 5p0An2rvSyj8o2W7P0gjASAptRLW2cnW =QoaL -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----