John Nagle wrote:

With no base class for all fixed_string types, though, there's no way to pass fixed_string objects around, short of templating every function that uses them.

A base class seems to be needed. Otherwise, there's no direct replacement for "char *" arguments.

I have uploaded an initial version of this. I wanted to wait before I approached the base class concept for two main reasons: (a) I wanted to move the interface closer to that of std::basic_string and (b) I wasn't sure how to implement it as a template on character type. The interface names have been moved to the corresponding basic_string/STL names (assign, append, etc.). The approach I have used for the base classes retains the template on character type, using MPL machinery to select the appropriate base class. Note that this is not perfect, since I still need a constraint to limit CharT to char and wchar_t, or provide an additional template parameter that defaults to the MPL machinery, allowing you to provide your own interface for custom string types.

Here's a simple test program. It should be possible to do the common operations done here. That doesn't seem possible with the latest version in the Boost sandbox.

This should work with the appropriate name changes: boost::char_string is now boost::fixed_string (although it still currently resides in fixed_string/char_string.hpp); boost::char_string_base is boost::char_string for readability; boost::wchar_string_base is boost::wchar_string for readability; Regards, Reece _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself with cool new emoticons http://www.msn.co.uk/specials/myemo