Boost - An Overview: Advanced C++ Programming

What is Boost?
Boost Libraries by Examples
Conclusion
References
Boost - An overview
Advanced C++ Programming
Thomas Heller
July 11, 2011
1/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
What is Boost?
Conclusion
2/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
Boost is ...
A collection of free, peer-reviewed, portable open-source C++

libraries
3/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
Boost is ...

libraries
...one of the most highly regarded and expertly designed

C++ library projects in the world. Herb Sutter and Andrei
Alexandrescu
3/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
Boost is ...

libraries

Alexandrescu
... torturing compilers since 1999
3/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
Boost is ...

libraries

Alexandrescu
... torturing compilers since 1999
Boost is not ...
Java for C++
3/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
Libraries List
A total of 108 libraries/components (as of version 1.47.0)
4/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
Libraries List
A total of 108 libraries/components (as of version 1.47.0)

Categories
String and text processing
Containers
Iterators
Algorithms
Function Objects and
Correctness and testing
Data structures
Image processing
Input/Output
higher-order programming
Inter-language support
Generic Programming
Memory
Template Metaprogramming
Parsing
Preprocessor
Programming Interfaces
Miscellaneous
Broken compiler workarounds

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Metaprogramming
Concurrent Programming
Math and numerics
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
Libraries List
accumulators
any
array
asio
assign
bimap
bind and mem_fn
call_traits
chrono
circular_buer
compatibility
compressed_pair
concept check
cong
conversion
crc
date_time
dynamic_bitset
exception
enable_if
lesystem
yweight
foreach
format
function
function_types
functional
functional/factory
functional/forward
functional/hash
fusion
gil
geometry
graph
icl
integer
interprocess
interval
intrusive
in_place_factory
typed_in_place_factory
io state savers
iostreams
iterators
lambda
lexical_cast
math
math/complex number algorithms
math/common_factor
math/octonion
math/quaternion
math/special_functions
math/statistical distributions
minmax
MPI
mpl
meta state machine

multi_array
multi_index
numeric/conversion
operators
optional
parameter
Phoenix
pointer container
polygon
pool
preprocessor
program_options
property map
property tree
proto
python
random
range
ratio
rational
ref
regex
result_of
scope_exit
serialization
signals
signals2
smart_ptr
statechart
static_assert
spirit
string_algo
swap
system
test
thread
timer
tokenizer
TR1
tribool
tuple
type_traits
typeof
uBLAS
units
unordered
utility
value_initialized
uuid
variant
wave
xpressive
4/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
Libraries that made it into C++11
array
regex
bind
result_of
chrono
smart_ptr
enable_if
static_assert
function
thread
range
tuple
ratio
type_traits
5/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
Libraries shown here:
type_traits
optional
and
mpl
6/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
type_traits - Motivation
template < typename Iter1 , typename Iter2 >
Iter2 copy ( Iter1 first , Iter1 last , Iter2 out )
{
while ( first != last )
{
* out = * first ;
++ out ; ++ first ;
}
return out ;
}
Is this generic code the optimal solution?
7/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
{
{
* out = * first ;
++ out ; ++ first ;
}
return out ;
}
Using memcpy could be even faster! If ...
7/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
{
{
* out = * first ;
++ out ; ++ first ;
}
return out ;
}
Using memcpy could be even faster! If ...
1. ... Iter1 and Iter2 are pointers
2. ... Iter1 and Iter2 point to the same type
3. ... the type pointed to by Iter1 has a trivial assignment
operator
7/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
type_traits
Metafunctions to introspect certain properties of a type
Return
true_type if the property is met, or false_type if not
Metafunctions to transform one type into another
Return the transformed type
8/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
type_traits
Return
What is a Metafunction?
A Metafunction is a class (template) with an inner type member.
template < bool c >

struct bool_
{
typedef bool_ <c > type ;
static const bool value = c;
};
struct true_type
: bool_ < true >
{};
struct false_type
: bool_ < false >
{};
8/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
type_traits
Return
What is a Metafunction?
A Metafunction is a class (template) with an inner type member.
template < bool c >

struct bool_
is a bool_<c>
{
typedef bool_ <c > type ;
static const bool value = c;
};
struct true_type
: bool_ < true >
{};
struct false_type
: bool_ < false >
{};
8/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
type_traits - Example: is_void

Requirements
Metafunction with one argument
Return
true_type if the argument is of type void
Return
false_type otherwise
template < typename T >

struct is_void
: false_type
{};
9/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

Requirements
Return
Return

struct is_void
: false_type
{};
template <>
struct is_void<void>
: true_type
{};
9/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

Requirements
Return
Return

struct is_void
: false_type
{};
Template specialization
template <>
struct is_void<void>
: true_type
{};
9/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
type_traits - Example: is_pointer

Requirements
Return
true_type if the argument is a pointer
Return

struct is_pointer
: false_type
{};
10/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

Requirements
Return
Return

struct is_pointer
: false_type
{};
struct is_pointer<T*>
: true_type
{};
10/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

Requirements
Return
Return

struct is_pointer
: false_type
{};
Partial template specialization

: true_type
{};
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What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

Requirements
Return
Return

struct is_pointer
: false_type
{};

: true_type
{};
Similar:
is_reference, is_const and is_volatile

10/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
type_traits - Example: is_same

Requirements
Metafunction with two arguments
Return
true_type if both arguments are the same type
Return
false_type if the types dier
template < typename T1 , typename T2 >

struct is_same
: false_type
{};
11/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

Requirements
Return
Return

struct is_same
: false_type
{};
tempalte < typename T >
struct is_same<T, T>
: true_type
{};
11/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

Requirements
Return
Return

struct is_same
: false_type
{};
tempalte < typename T >
struct is_same<T, T>
: true_type
{};
11/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
type_traits - There is more
For a full list of type traits refer to:
http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/release/libs/type_
traits/doc/html/index.html
Some type traits rely on intrinsic compiler support
12/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

-
is_union
is_pod
has_trivial_constructor
has_trivial_copy
has_trivial_assign
has_trivial_destructor
has_nothrow_constructor
has_nothrow_copy
has_nothrow_assign
has_virtual_destructor
12/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

-
is_union
is_pod
has_trivial_constructor
has_trivial_copy
has_trivial_assign
has_trivial_destructor
has_nothrow_constructor
has_nothrow_copy
has_nothrow_assign
has_virtual_destructor
Customization through partial specialization

12/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
type_traits - Revisiting the motivational example

{
{
* out = * first ;
++ out ; ++ first ;
}
}
return out ;
13/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

Iter2 copy ( Iter1 first , Iter1 last , Iter2 out ) ;
To optimize it, we need ...
1. ... Iter1 and Iter2 are pointers
2. ... Iter1 and Iter2 point to the same type
3. ... the type pointed to by Iter1 has a trivial assignment
operator
13/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

1. Iter1 and Iter2 are pointers
2. Iter1 and Iter2 point to the same type
3. the type pointed to by Iter1 has a trivial assignment operator
// 1.:
is_pointer < Iter1 >
13/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

// 2.:
typedef typename std :: iterator_traits < Iter1 >:: value_type
value_type1 ;
value_type2 ;
is_same < value_type1 , value_type2 >
13/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

// 3.:
value_type ;
has_trivial_assign < value_type >
13/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

// Combined , pseudocode
value_type1 ;
value_type2 ;
if ( is_pointer < Iter1 > && is_pointer < Iter2 >)
if ( is_same < value_type1 , value_type2 >)
if ( has_trivial_assign < value_type1 >)
return true_type ;
else
return false_type ;
else
return false_type ;
else
return false_type ;
13/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

// Combined :
struct enable_memcpy
{
typedef typename std :: iterator_traits < Iter1 >:: value_type value_type1 ;
typedef typename
mpl::if_<
typename mpl::and_<
, is_pointer < Iter2 >
>:: type
, typename mpl::if_<
typename is_same < value_type1 , value_type2 >:: type
typename has_trivial_assign < value_type1 >:: type
, true_type
, false_type
>:: type
, false_type
>:: type
, false_type
>:: type
type ;
static const bool value = type :: value ;
13/ 20
};
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

Boost.MPL Metafunctions!
// Combined :
{
typedef typename
mpl::if_<
typename mpl::and_<
, is_pointer < Iter2 >
>:: type
, true_type
, false_type
>:: type
, false_type
>:: type
, false_type
>:: type
type ;
13/ 20
};
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

Boost.MPL Metafunction: mpl::if_:
// Combined :
template < typename Cond , typename Then , typename Else >
struct if_ ;
{
template
< typename <Then
, >::
typename
Else >value_type2 ;
typedef typename std
:: iterator_traits
Iter2
value_type
struct if_ < true_type , Then , Else >
typedef typename
:
Then
mpl::if_<
{};
typename mpl::and_<
template
, is_pointer
< Iter2 <>typename Then , typename Else >
struct if_ < false_type , Then , Else >
>:: type
, typename mpl::if_< : Else
{};is_same < value_type1 , value_type2 >:: type
typename
, true_type
, false_type
>:: type
, false_type
>:: type
, false_type
>:: type
type ;
13/ 20
};
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

Boost.MPL Metafunction: mpl::and_:
// Combined :
template < typename Cond1 , typename Cond2 >
struct and_
{
: false_type
typedef typename std :: iterator_traits
< Iter1 >:: value_type value_type1 ;
{};
typedef typename std :: iterator_traits
< Iter2 >:: value_type value_type2 ;
typedef typename
template
<>
mpl::if_<
typename mpl::and_< struct and_ < true_type , true_type >
is_pointer < Iter1 > : true_type
{};>
, is_pointer < Iter2
>:: type
, true_type
, false_type
>:: type
, false_type
>:: type
, false_type
>:: type
type ;
13/ 20
};
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

// Using it :
struct enable_memcpy ;
namespace impl_detail {
Iter2 copy ( Iter1 first , Iter1 last , Iter2 out , true_type )
{
memcpy ( out , first , last - first );
return out +( last - first );
}
Iter2 copy ( Iter1 first , Iter1 last , Iter2 out , false_type )
{
{
* out = * first ;
++ out ; ++ first ;
}
return out ;
}
}
{
// ...
}
13/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References

// Using it :
struct enable_memcpy ;
namespace impl_detail {
Iter2 copy ( Iter1 first , Iter1 last , Iter2 out , true_type )
{
// ...
}
Iter2 copy ( Iter1 first , Iter1 last , Iter2 out , false_type )
{
// ...
}
}
{
return
impl_detail :: copy ( first , last , out
, typename enable_memcpy < Iter1 , Iter2 >:: type () );
}
13/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
type_traits - So ...
... why bother?
type_traits are used throughout the vast diversity of boost

libraries
Together with mpl, enable_if and result_of are the core

building blocks of boost
They make generic code more robust and costumizable
14/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
optional - Motivation
Consider these three functions:
1.
double sqrt(double n);
2.
char get_async_input();
3.
point polygon::get_any_point_inside();
15/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
1.
2.
3.
All of them could fail to return a valid value
15/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
1.
2.
3.
Possible Solutions:
Assert
Exceptions
Some kind of special values
15/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
1.
2.
3.
Possible Solutions:
Assert
Exceptions
Some kind of special values
Return
std::pair<T, bool>
15/ 20
What is Boost?
optional<T>
Conclusion
vs std::pair<T,
T can be anything
optional < point >

polygon :: get_any_poin_inside () ;
optional < point >
p = poly . get_any_point_inside () ;
if (p)
flood_fill (* p) ;
References
bool>
T must be
DefaultConstructable
std :: pair < point , bool >

polygon :: get_any_point_inside () ;
std :: pair < point , bool >
p = poly . get_any_point_inside () ;
if (p. second )
flood_fill (p. first );
16/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
When to use Boost?
Whenever you can!
17/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
When to use Boost?
Whenever you can!
When not to use Boost?
In environments that don't have the C++ stdlib
In environments with non-compliant compilers
17/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
When to use Boost?
Whenever you can!
When not to use Boost?
In environments that don't have the C++ stdlib
In environments with non-compliant compilers
Don't reinvent the wheel, look what Boost has to oer for you!
17/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
Criticism against Boost
It's huge and monolothic!
Compile times are too long!
Compiler error messages are messy!
18/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
Questions?
19/ 20
What is Boost?
Conclusion
References
http://www.boost.org
http:
//boost.org/doc/libs/release/libs/libraries.htm
http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_46_1/libs/mpl/doc/
index.html
http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/release/libs/
optional/doc/html/index.html
20/ 20

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What is Boost?

Boost Libraries by Examples

July 11, 2011

Boost Libraries by Examples

Boost Libraries by Examples

Boost Libraries by Examples

A collection of free, peer-reviewed, portable open-source C++

Boost Libraries by Examples

A collection of free, peer-reviewed, portable open-source C++

...one of the most highly regarded and expertly designed

Boost Libraries by Examples

A collection of free, peer-reviewed, portable open-source C++

...one of the most highly regarded and expertly designed

... torturing compilers since 1999

Boost Libraries by Examples

A collection of free, peer-reviewed, portable open-source C++

...one of the most highly regarded and expertly designed

... torturing compilers since 1999

Boost is not ...

Java for C++

Boost Libraries by Examples

A total of 108 libraries/components (as of version 1.47.0)

Boost Libraries by Examples

A total of 108 libraries/components (as of version 1.47.0)

String and text processing

Function Objects and

Correctness and testing

Broken compiler workarounds

Math and numerics

Boost Libraries by Examples

meta state machine

Boost Libraries by Examples

Libraries that made it into C++11

Boost Libraries by Examples

Libraries shown here:

Boost Libraries by Examples

Boost Libraries by Examples

Boost Libraries by Examples

Boost Libraries by Examples

Metafunctions to introspect certain properties of a type

true_type if the property is met, or false_type if not

Metafunctions to transform one type into another

Return the transformed type

Boost Libraries by Examples

Metafunctions to introspect certain properties of a type

true_type if the property is met, or false_type if not

Metafunctions to transform one type into another

Return the transformed type

A Metafunction is a class (template) with an inner type member.

template < bool c >

Boost Libraries by Examples

Metafunctions to introspect certain properties of a type

true_type if the property is met, or false_type if not

Metafunctions to transform one type into another

Return the transformed type

A Metafunction is a class (template) with an inner type member.

template < bool c >

Boost Libraries by Examples

type_traits - Example: is_void

Metafunction with one argument

true_type if the argument is of type void

template < typename T >

Boost Libraries by Examples

...one of the most highly regarded and expertly designed

...one of the most highly regarded and expertly designed

...one of the most highly regarded and expertly designed

Java for C++

false_type if the types dier

false_type if the types dier

false_type if the types dier