|
|
@@ -1,931 +0,0 @@
|
|
|
-<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
|
|
|
-<html>
|
|
|
- <head>
|
|
|
- <title>
|
|
|
- Boost Library Requirements and Guidelines
|
|
|
- </title>
|
|
|
- <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
|
|
|
- <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0">
|
|
|
- <meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">
|
|
|
- <meta name="Microsoft Border" content="none, default">
|
|
|
- </head>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
|
|
|
- <table border="1" bgcolor="#007F7F" cellpadding="2">
|
|
|
- <tr>
|
|
|
- <td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
|
|
|
- <img src="../boost.png" alt="boost.png (6897 bytes)" width="277"
|
|
|
- height="86">
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- <a href="../index.htm"><font face="Arial" color=
|
|
|
- "#FFFFFF"><big>Home</big></font></a>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- <a href="../libs/libraries.htm"><font face="Arial" color=
|
|
|
- "#FFFFFF"><big>Libraries</big></font></a>
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- <a href="../people/people.htm"><font face="Arial" color=
|
|
|
- "#FFFFFF"><big>People</big></font></a>
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <a href="faq.htm"><font face="Arial" color=
|
|
|
- "#FFFFFF"><big>FAQ</big></font></a>
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- <a href="index.htm"><font face="Arial" color=
|
|
|
- "#FFFFFF"><big>More</big></font></a>
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- </tr>
|
|
|
- </table>
|
|
|
- <h1 align="left">
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- Boost Library Requirements and Guidelines
|
|
|
- </h1>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
- <a href="#Introduction">Introduction</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Requirements">Requirements</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#License">License requirements</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Portability">Portability requirements</a><br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <a href="#Ownership">Ownership</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Guidelines">Guidelines</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Design_and_Programming">Design and
|
|
|
- programming</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Directory_structure">Directory structure and
|
|
|
- filenames</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Naming_consistency">Naming
|
|
|
- consistency</a><br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <a href="#Documentation">Documentation</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Rationale">Rationale</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href=
|
|
|
- "#Exception-specification">Exception-specification rationale</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Naming">Naming conventions rationale</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#code_fonts">Source code fonts
|
|
|
- rationale</a><br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <a href="#Tabs">Tabs rationale</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#JavaScript">ECMAScript/JavaScript
|
|
|
- rationale</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Rationale_rationale">Rationale
|
|
|
- rationale</a><br>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Acknowledgements">Acknowledgements
|
|
|
- rationale</a>
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <h2 align="left">
|
|
|
- <a name="Introduction" id="Introduction">Introduction</a>
|
|
|
- </h2>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
- This page describes requirements and guidelines for the content of a
|
|
|
- library submitted to Boost.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
- See the <a href="submission_process.htm">Boost Library Submission
|
|
|
- Process</a> page for a description of the process involved.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <h2 align="left">
|
|
|
- <a name="Requirements" id="Requirements">Requirements</a>
|
|
|
- </h2>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- To avoid the frustration and wasted time of a proposed library being
|
|
|
- rejected, it must meets these requirements:
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>The license must meet the <a href="#License">license requirements</a>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- below. Restricted licenses like the GPL and LGPL are not acceptable.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>The copyright <a href="#Ownership">ownership</a> must be clear.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>The library must be generally useful and not restricted to a narrow
|
|
|
- problem domain.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>The library must meet the <a href="#Portability">portability
|
|
|
- requirements</a> below.
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>The library must come reasonably close to meeting the <a href=
|
|
|
- "#Guidelines">Guidelines</a> below.
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Design_and_Programming">Design and Programming</a>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <a href="#Directory_structure">Directory Structure</a>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>
|
|
|
- <a href="#Documentation">Documentation</a>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>The author must be willing to participate in discussions on the mailing
|
|
|
- list, and to refine the library accordingly.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- There's no requirement that an author read the mailing list for a time
|
|
|
- before making a submission. It has been noted, however, that submissions
|
|
|
- which begin "I just started to read this mailing list ..." seem to fail,
|
|
|
- often embarrassingly.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <h3 align="left">
|
|
|
- <a name="License" id="License">License</a> requirements
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- The preferred way to meet the license requirements is to use the <a href=
|
|
|
- "../LICENSE_1_0.txt">Boost Software License</a>. See <a href=
|
|
|
- "license_info.html">license information</a>. If for any reason you do not
|
|
|
- intend to use the Boost Software License, please discuss the issues on the
|
|
|
- Boost <a href="mailing_lists.htm#main">developers mailing list</a> first.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- The license requirements:
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Must be simple to read and understand.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Must grant permission without fee to copy, use and modify the software
|
|
|
- for any use (commercial and non-commercial).
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Must require that the license appear on all copies of the software
|
|
|
- source code.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Must not require that the license appear with executables or other
|
|
|
- binary uses of the library.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>Must not require that the source code be available for execution or
|
|
|
- other binary uses of the library.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>May restrict the use of the name and description of the library to the
|
|
|
- standard version found on the Boost web site.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <h3 align="left">
|
|
|
- <a name="Portability" id="Portability">Portability</a> requirements
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
- A library's interface must portable and not restricted to a particular
|
|
|
- compiler or operating system.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
- A library's implementation must if possible be portable and not
|
|
|
- restricted to a particular compiler or operating system. If a
|
|
|
- portable implementation is not possible, non-portable constructions are
|
|
|
- acceptable if reasonably easy to port to other environments, and
|
|
|
- implementations are provided for at least two popular operating systems
|
|
|
- (such as UNIX and Windows).
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
- There is no requirement that a library run on C++ compilers which do
|
|
|
- not conform to the ISO standard.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- There is no requirement that a library run on any particular C++
|
|
|
- compiler. Boost contributors often try to ensure their libraries
|
|
|
- work with popular compilers. The boost/config.hpp <a href=
|
|
|
- "../libs/config/config.htm">configuration header</a> is the preferred
|
|
|
- mechanism for working around compiler deficiencies.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
- Since there is no absolute way to prove portability, many boost submissions
|
|
|
- demonstrate practical portability by compiling and executing correctly with
|
|
|
- two different C++ compilers, often under different operating systems.
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- Otherwise reviewers may disbelieve that porting is in fact practical.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <h3 align="left">
|
|
|
- <a name="Ownership" id="Ownership">Ownership</a>
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
- Are you sure you own the library you are thinking of
|
|
|
- submitting? "How to Copyright Software" by MJ Salone, Nolo
|
|
|
- Press, 1990 says:
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <blockquote>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
- Doing work on your own time that is very similar to programming you do
|
|
|
- for your employer on company time can raise nasty legal problems.
|
|
|
- In this situation, it's best to get a written release from your employer
|
|
|
- in advance.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- </blockquote>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
- Place a copyright notice in all the important files you submit. Boost won't
|
|
|
- accept libraries without clear copyright information.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <h2 align="left">
|
|
|
- <a name="Guidelines" id="Guidelines">Guidelines</a>
|
|
|
- </h2>
|
|
|
- <p align="left">
|
|
|
- Please use these guidelines as a checklist for preparing the content a
|
|
|
- library submission. Not every guideline applies to every library, but
|
|
|
- a reasonable effort to comply is expected.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <h3>
|
|
|
- <a name="Design_and_Programming" id="Design_and_Programming">Design and
|
|
|
- Programming</a>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Aim first for clarity and correctness; optimization should be only a
|
|
|
- secondary concern in most Boost libraries.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Aim for ISO Standard C++. Than means making effective use of the
|
|
|
- standard features of the language, and avoiding non-standard compiler
|
|
|
- extensions. It also means using the C++ Standard Library where applicable.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>Headers should be good neighbors. See the <a href="header.htm">header
|
|
|
- policy</a>. See <a href="#Naming_consistency">Naming consistency</a>.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Follow quality programming practices. See, for example, "Effective C++"
|
|
|
- 2nd Edition, and "More Effective C++", both by Scott Meyers, published by
|
|
|
- Addison Wesley.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>Use the C++ Standard Library or other Boost libraries, but only when
|
|
|
- the benefits outweigh the costs. Do not use libraries other than the
|
|
|
- C++ Standard Library or Boost. See <a href="library_reuse.htm">Library
|
|
|
- reuse</a>.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Read <a href="imp_vars.htm">Implementation Variation</a> to see how to
|
|
|
- supply performance, platform, or other implementation variations.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Read the <a href="separate_compilation.html">guidelines for libraries
|
|
|
- with separate source</a> to see how to ensure that compiled link libraries
|
|
|
- meet user expectations.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Use the naming conventions of the C++ Standard Library (See <a href=
|
|
|
- "#Naming">Naming conventions rationale</a>):<br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Names (except as noted below) should be all lowercase, with words
|
|
|
- separated by underscores.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Acronyms should be treated as ordinary names (e.g.
|
|
|
- <code>xml_parser</code> instead of <code>XML_parser</code>).
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Template parameter names begin with an uppercase letter.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>Macro (gasp!) names all uppercase and begin with BOOST_.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Choose meaningful names - explicit is better than implicit, and
|
|
|
- readability counts. There is a strong preference for clear and descriptive
|
|
|
- names, even if lengthy.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>Use exceptions to report errors where appropriate, and write code that
|
|
|
- is safe in the face of exceptions.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Avoid exception-specifications. See <a href="#Exception-specification">
|
|
|
- exception-specification rationale</a>.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>Provide sample programs or confidence tests so potential users can see
|
|
|
- how to use your library.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Provide a regression test program or programs which follow the
|
|
|
- <a href="test_policy.htm">Test Policies and Protocols</a>.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Although some boost members use proportional fonts, tabs, and
|
|
|
- unrestricted line lengths in their own code, boost's widely distributed
|
|
|
- source code should follow more conservative guidelines:
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>Use fixed-width fonts. See <a href="#code_fonts">fonts
|
|
|
- rationale</a>.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Use spaces rather than tabs. See <a href="#Tabs">tabs
|
|
|
- rationale</a>.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Limit line lengths to 80 characters.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>End all documentation files (HTML or otherwise) with a copyright
|
|
|
- message and a licensing message. See <a href="license_info.html">license
|
|
|
- information</a> page for the preferred form.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Begin all source files (including programs, headers, scripts, etc.)
|
|
|
- with:<br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>A comment line describing the contents of the file.<br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Comments describing copyright and licensing: again, the preferred
|
|
|
- form is indicated in the <a href="license_info.html">license
|
|
|
- information</a> page<br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <br>
|
|
|
- Note that developers should not provide a copy of
|
|
|
- <code>LICENSE_1_0.txt</code> with their libraries: Boost
|
|
|
- distributions already include a copy in the Boost root directory.<br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>A comment line referencing your library on the Boost web site. For
|
|
|
- example:<br>
|
|
|
- <br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <code>// See http://www.boost.org/libs/foo/ for library home
|
|
|
- page.</code><br>
|
|
|
- <br>
|
|
|
- where <code>foo</code> is the directory name (see below) for the
|
|
|
- library. As well as aiding users who come across a Boost file
|
|
|
- detached from its documentation, some of Boost's automatic tools
|
|
|
- depend on this comment to identify which library header files belong
|
|
|
- to.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Make sure your code compiles in the presence of the <code>min()</code>
|
|
|
- and <code>max()</code> macros. Some platform headers define
|
|
|
- <code>min()</code> and <code>max()</code> macros which cause some common
|
|
|
- C++ constructs to fail to compile. Some simple tricks can protect your code
|
|
|
- from inappropriate macro substitution:<br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>If you want to call <code>std::min()</code> or
|
|
|
- <code>std::max()</code>:<br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>If you do not require argument-dependent look-up, use
|
|
|
- <code>(std::min)(a,b)</code>.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li style="list-style: none">
|
|
|
- <br>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>If you do require argument-dependent look-up, you should:
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li style="list-style: none">
|
|
|
- <br>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <code>#include <boost/config.hpp></code>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Use <code>BOOST_USING_STD_MIN();</code> to bring
|
|
|
- <code>std::min()</code> into the current scope.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Use <code>min BOOST_PREVENT_MACRO_SUBSTITUTION
|
|
|
- (a,b);</code> to make an argument-dependent call to
|
|
|
- <code>min(a,b)</code>.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li style="list-style: none">
|
|
|
- <br>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>If you want to call
|
|
|
- <code>std::numeric_limits<int>::max()</code>, use
|
|
|
- <code>(std::numeric_limits<int>::max)()</code> instead.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li style="list-style: none">
|
|
|
- <br>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>If you want to call a <code>min()</code> or <code>max()</code>
|
|
|
- member function, instead to doing <code>obj.min()</code>, use
|
|
|
- <code>(obj.min)()</code>.<br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li style="list-style: none">
|
|
|
- <br>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>If you want to declare or define a function or a member function
|
|
|
- named <code>min</code> or <code>max</code>, then you must use the
|
|
|
- <code>BOOST_PREVENT_MACRO_SUBSTITUTION</code> macro. Instead of writing
|
|
|
- <code>int min() { return 0; }</code> you should write <code>int min
|
|
|
- BOOST_PREVENT_MACRO_SUBSTITUTION () { return 0; }</code><br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- This is true regardless if the function is a free (namespace scope)
|
|
|
- function, a member function or a static member function, and it
|
|
|
- applies for the function declaration as well as for the function
|
|
|
- definition.<br>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <h3>
|
|
|
- <a name="Directory_structure" id="Directory_structure">Directory
|
|
|
- Structure</a> and Filenames
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>File and directory names must contain only <b>lowercase</b> ASCII
|
|
|
- letters , numbers, underscores, and a period. Leading character must
|
|
|
- be alphabetic. Maximum length 31. Only a single period is permitted.
|
|
|
- These requirements ensure file and directory names are relatively portable.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Files intended to be processed by a C++ compiler as part of a
|
|
|
- translation unit should have <b>a three-letter filename extension ending in
|
|
|
- "pp"</b>. Other files should <i>not</i> use extensions ending in "pp". This
|
|
|
- convention makes it easy to identify all of the C++ source in Boost.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>All libraries have at their highest level a primary directory named for
|
|
|
- the particular library. See <a href="#Naming_consistency">Naming
|
|
|
- consistency</a>. The primary directory may have sub-directories.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>For very simple libraries implemented entirely within the library
|
|
|
- header, all files go in the primary directory (except headers, which go in
|
|
|
- the boost header directory).
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <blockquote>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- <b>Boost standard sub-directory names</b>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <table border="1" cellpadding="5">
|
|
|
- <tr>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- <b>Sub-directory</b>
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- <b>Contents</b>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- <b>Required</b>
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- </tr>
|
|
|
- <tr>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- <code>build</code>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- Library build files such as a Jamfile.
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- If any build files.
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- </tr>
|
|
|
- <tr>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <code>doc</code>
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- Documentation (HTML) files.
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- If several doc files.
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- </tr>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <tr>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- <code>example</code>
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- Sample program files.
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- If several sample files.
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </tr>
|
|
|
- <tr>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- <code>src</code>
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- Source files which must be compiled to build the library.
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- If any source files.
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- </tr>
|
|
|
- <tr>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- <code>test</code>
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- Regression or other test programs or scripts.
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- <td>
|
|
|
- If several test files.
|
|
|
- </td>
|
|
|
- </tr>
|
|
|
- </table>
|
|
|
- </blockquote>
|
|
|
- <h4>
|
|
|
- <a name="Redirection" id="Redirection">Redirection</a>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </h4>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- The primary directory should always contain a file named index.html (or
|
|
|
- index.htm). Authors have requested this so that they can publish URL's in
|
|
|
- the form <i>http://www.boost.org/libs/lib-name</i> with the assurance a
|
|
|
- documentation reorganization won't invalidate the URL. Boost's internal
|
|
|
- tools are also simplified by knowing that a library's documentation is
|
|
|
- always reachable via the simplified URL.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- If the documentation is in a doc sub-directory, the primary directory
|
|
|
- index.html file should just do an automatic redirection to the doc
|
|
|
- subdirectory:
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <blockquote>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <pre>
|
|
|
-<html>
|
|
|
-<head>
|
|
|
-<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; URL=doc/index.html">
|
|
|
-</head>
|
|
|
-<body>
|
|
|
-Automatic redirection failed, please go to
|
|
|
-<a href="doc/index.html">doc/index.html</a>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-</body>
|
|
|
-</html>
|
|
|
-</pre>
|
|
|
- </blockquote>
|
|
|
- <h3>
|
|
|
- <a name="Naming_consistency">Naming consistency</a>
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- As library developers and users have gained experience with Boost, the
|
|
|
- following consistent naming approach has come to be viewed as very helpful,
|
|
|
- particularly for larger libraries that need their own header subdirectories
|
|
|
- and namespaces.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Here is how it works. The library is given a name that describes the
|
|
|
- contents of the library. Cryptic abbreviations are strongly discouraged.
|
|
|
- Following the practice of the C++ Standard Library, names are usually
|
|
|
- singular rather than plural. For example, a library dealing with file
|
|
|
- systems might chose the name "filesystem", but not "filesystems", "fs" or
|
|
|
- "nicecode".
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>The library's primary directory (in parent <i>boost-root/libs</i>) is
|
|
|
- given that same name. For example,
|
|
|
- <i>boost-root/libs/filesystem</i>.<br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>The library's primary header directory (in parent
|
|
|
- <i>boost-root/boost</i>) is given that same name. For example,
|
|
|
- <i>boost-root/boost/filesystem</i>.<br>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>The library's primary namespace (in parent <i>::boost</i>) is given
|
|
|
- that same name, except when there's a component with that name (e.g.,
|
|
|
- <i>boost::tuple</i>), in which case the namespace name is pluralized. For
|
|
|
- example, <i>::boost::filesystem</i>.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- When documenting Boost libraries, follow these conventions (see also the
|
|
|
- following section of this document):
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>The library name is set in roman type.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>The library name is capitalized.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>A period between "Boost" and the library name (e.g., Boost.Bind) is
|
|
|
- used if and only if the library name is not followed by the word "library".
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>The word "library" is not part of the library name and is therefore
|
|
|
- lowercased.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Here are a few examples of how to apply these conventions:
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Boost.Bind was written by Peter Dimov.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>The Boost Bind library was written by Peter Dimov.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>I regularly use Bind, a Boost library written by Peter Dimov.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <h3>
|
|
|
- <a name="Documentation" id="Documentation">Documentation</a>
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Even the simplest library needs some documentation; the amount should be
|
|
|
- proportional to the need. The documentation should assume the readers
|
|
|
- have a basic knowledge of C++, but are not necessarily experts.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- The format for documentation should be HTML, and should not require an
|
|
|
- advanced browser or server-side extensions. Style sheets are acceptable.
|
|
|
- ECMAScript/JavaScript is not acceptable. The documentation entry point
|
|
|
- should always be a file named index.html or index.htm; see <a href=
|
|
|
- "#Redirection">Redirection</a>.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- There is no single right way to do documentation. HTML documentation is
|
|
|
- often organized quite differently from traditional printed documents.
|
|
|
- Task-oriented styles differ from reference oriented styles. In the end, it
|
|
|
- comes down to the question: Is the documentation sufficient for the
|
|
|
- mythical "average" C++ programmer to use the library successfully?
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Appropriate topics for documentation often include:
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>General introduction to the library.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Description of each class.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Relationship between classes.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>For each function, as applicable, description, requirements
|
|
|
- (preconditions), effects, post-conditions, returns, and throws.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Discussion of error detection and recovery strategy.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>How to use including description of typical uses.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>How to compile and link.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>How to test.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Version or revision history.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Rationale for design decisions. See <a href=
|
|
|
- "#Rationale">Rationale rationale</a>.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>Acknowledgements. See <a href="#Acknowledgements">Acknowledgments
|
|
|
- rationale.</a>
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- If you need more help with how to write documentation you can check out the
|
|
|
- article on <a href="writingdoc/index.html">Writing Documentation for
|
|
|
- Boost</a>.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <h2>
|
|
|
- <a name="Rationale" id="Rationale">Rationale</a>
|
|
|
- </h2>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Rationale for some of the requirements and guidelines follows.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <hr>
|
|
|
- <h3>
|
|
|
- <a name="Exception-specification" id=
|
|
|
- "Exception-specification">Exception-specification</a> rationale
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Exception specifications [ISO 15.4] are sometimes coded to indicate what
|
|
|
- exceptions may be thrown, or because the programmer hopes they will
|
|
|
- improved performance. But consider the following member from a smart
|
|
|
- pointer:
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <pre>
|
|
|
- T& operator*() const throw() { return *ptr; }
|
|
|
-</pre>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- This function calls no other functions; it only manipulates fundamental
|
|
|
- data types like pointers Therefore, no runtime behavior of the
|
|
|
- exception-specification can ever be invoked. The function is
|
|
|
- completely exposed to the compiler; indeed it is declared inline Therefore,
|
|
|
- a smart compiler can easily deduce that the functions are incapable of
|
|
|
- throwing exceptions, and make the same optimizations it would have made
|
|
|
- based on the empty exception-specification. A "dumb" compiler, however, may
|
|
|
- make all kinds of pessimizations.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- For example, some compilers turn off inlining if there is an
|
|
|
- exception-specification. Some compilers add try/catch blocks. Such
|
|
|
- pessimizations can be a performance disaster which makes the code unusable
|
|
|
- in practical applications.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Although initially appealing, an exception-specification tends to have
|
|
|
- consequences that require <b>very</b> careful thought to understand. The
|
|
|
- biggest problem with exception-specifications is that programmers use them
|
|
|
- as though they have the effect the programmer would like, instead of the
|
|
|
- effect they actually have.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- A non-inline function is the one place a "throws nothing"
|
|
|
- exception-specification may have some benefit with some compilers.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <hr>
|
|
|
- <h3>
|
|
|
- <a name="Naming" id="Naming">Naming</a> conventions rationale
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- The C++ standard committee's Library Working Group discussed this issue in
|
|
|
- detail, and over a long period of time. The discussion was repeated again
|
|
|
- in early boost postings. A short summary:
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Naming conventions are contentious, and although several are widely
|
|
|
- used, no one style predominates.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Given the intent to propose portions of boost for the next revision of
|
|
|
- the C++ standard library, boost decided to follow the standard library's
|
|
|
- conventions.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Once a library settles on a particular convention, a vast majority of
|
|
|
- stakeholders want that style to be consistently used.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <hr>
|
|
|
- <h3>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- Source <a name="code_fonts" id="code_fonts">code fonts</a> rationale
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Dave Abrahams comments: An important purpose (I daresay the primary
|
|
|
- purpose) of source code is communication: the documentation of intent. This
|
|
|
- is a doubly important goal for boost, I think. Using a fixed-width font
|
|
|
- allows us to communicate with more people, in more ways (diagrams are
|
|
|
- possible) right there in the source. Code written for fixed-width fonts
|
|
|
- using spaces will read reasonably well when viewed with a variable-width
|
|
|
- font, and as far as I can tell every editor supporting variable-width fonts
|
|
|
- also supports fixed width. I don't think the converse is true.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <hr>
|
|
|
- <h3>
|
|
|
- <a name="Tabs" id="Tabs">Tabs</a> rationale
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Tabs are banned because of the practical problems caused by tabs in
|
|
|
- multi-developer projects like Boost, rather than any dislike in principle.
|
|
|
- See <a href="mailing_lists.htm#archive">mailing list archives</a>. Problems
|
|
|
- include maintenance of a single source file by programmers using tabs and
|
|
|
- programmers using spaces, and the difficulty of enforcing a consistent tab
|
|
|
- policy other than just "no tabs". Discussions concluded that Boost files
|
|
|
- should either all use tabs, or all use spaces, and thus the decision to
|
|
|
- stick with spaces.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <hr>
|
|
|
- <h3>
|
|
|
- ECMAScript/<a name="JavaScript" id="JavaScript">JavaScript</a> rationale
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Before the 1.29.0 release, two Boost libraries added ECMAScript/JavaScript
|
|
|
- documentation. Controversy followed (see <a href=
|
|
|
- "mailing_lists.htm#archive">mailing list archives</a>), and the developers
|
|
|
- were asked to remove the ECMAScript/JavaScript. Reasons given for banning
|
|
|
- included:
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <ul>
|
|
|
- <li>Incompatible with some older browsers and some text based browsers.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Makes printing docs pages difficult.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Often results in really bad user interface design.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <li>"It's just annoying in general."
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Would require Boost to test web pages for ECMAScript/JavaScript
|
|
|
- compliance.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- <li>Makes docs maintenance by other than the original developer more
|
|
|
- difficult.
|
|
|
- </li>
|
|
|
- </ul>
|
|
|
- <hr>
|
|
|
- <h3>
|
|
|
- <a name="Rationale_rationale" id="Rationale_rationale">Rationale
|
|
|
- rationale</a>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Rationale is defined as "The fundamental reasons for something; basis" by
|
|
|
- the American Heritage Dictionary.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Beman Dawes comments: Failure to supply contemporaneous rationale for
|
|
|
- design decisions is a major defect in many software projects. Lack of
|
|
|
- accurate rationale causes issues to be revisited endlessly, causes
|
|
|
- maintenance bugs when a maintainer changes something without realizing it
|
|
|
- was done a certain way for some purpose, and shortens the useful lifetime
|
|
|
- of software.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Rationale is fairly easy to provide at the time decisions are made, but
|
|
|
- very hard to accurately recover even a short time later.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <hr>
|
|
|
- <h3>
|
|
|
- <a name="Acknowledgements" id="Acknowledgements">Acknowledgements</a>
|
|
|
- rationale
|
|
|
- </h3>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- As a library matures, it almost always accumulates improvements suggested
|
|
|
- to the authors by other boost members. It is a part of the culture of
|
|
|
- boost.org to acknowledge such contributions, identifying the person making
|
|
|
- the suggestion. Major contributions are usually acknowledged in the
|
|
|
- documentation, while minor fixes are often mentioned in comments within the
|
|
|
- code itself.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <hr>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Revised
|
|
|
- <!--webbot bot="Timestamp" s-type="EDITED" s-format="%d %B, %Y" startspan -->
|
|
|
- 04 November, 2003<!--webbot bot="Timestamp" endspan i-checksum="39359" -->
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- © <a name="Copyright" id="Copyright">Copyright</a> Beman Dawes 2003.
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
- <p>
|
|
|
- Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See
|
|
|
- accompanying file <a href="../LICENSE_1_0.txt">LICENSE_1_0.txt</a> or copy
|
|
|
- at <a href=
|
|
|
- "http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt">www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt</a>)
|
|
|
- </p>
|
|
|
- </body>
|
|
|
-</html>
|
Daniel James