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Remove a couple of html files that have been added to the beta site.
Refs #1354, #1357. [SVN r40986]
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Daniel James
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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
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||||
<html>
|
||||
|
||||
<head>
|
||||
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
|
||||
<title>Boost Header policy</title>
|
||||
<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">
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||||
<table summary="Navigational header"
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border="1" bgcolor="#007F7F" cellpadding="2">
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<tr>
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||||
<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><img src="../boost.png" alt="boost.png (6897 bytes)" width="277" height="86"></td>
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||||
<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>Boost Header Policy</h1>
|
||||
<p>Header files are the place where a library comes into contact with user code
|
||||
and other libraries. To co-exist peacefully and productively, headers must
|
||||
be "good neighbors".</p>
|
||||
<p>Here are the standards for boost headers. Many of
|
||||
these are also reasonable guidelines for general use.
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li>Header filenames should have a .hpp (lowercase) extension. </li>
|
||||
<li>Unless multiple inclusion is intended, wrap the header in #ifndef guards.
|
||||
Use a naming convention that minimizes the chance of clashes
|
||||
with macro names from other's code. The <a href="#SampleHeader">sample
|
||||
header</a> uses the Boost convention of all uppercase letters, with the
|
||||
header name prefixed by the namespace name, and suffixed with HPP, separated
|
||||
by underscores.</li>
|
||||
<li>Wrap the header contents in a namespace to prevent global namespace
|
||||
pollution. The namespace approach to pollution control is strongly preferred
|
||||
to older approaches such as adding funny prefixes to global names.
|
||||
Libraries which are designed to work well with other Boost libraries should
|
||||
be placed in namespace <tt>boost</tt>.</li>
|
||||
|
||||
<li>Make sure that a translation unit consisting of just the
|
||||
contents of the header file will compile successfully.</li>
|
||||
|
||||
<li>Place the header file in a sub-directory to prevent conflict with
|
||||
identically named header files in other libraries. The parent
|
||||
directory is added to the compiler's include search path. Then both
|
||||
your code and user code specifies the sub-directory in <tt>#include</tt>
|
||||
directives. Thus the header <a href="#SampleHeader">sample header</a>
|
||||
would be included by <tt>#include <boost/furball.hpp></tt></li>
|
||||
<li>The preferred ordering for class definitions is public members, protected
|
||||
members, and finally private members.</li>
|
||||
<li>Include the boost/config.hpp <a href="../libs/config/config.htm">configuration
|
||||
header</a> if there is a need to deal with compiler or platform
|
||||
configuration issues.</li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<h2><a name="SampleHeader"></a>Sample Header</h2>
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||||
<pre><tt>// Boost general library furball.hpp header file ---------------------------//
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|
||||
<<i> Copyright and license notice</i>, as indicated in the <a href="license_info.html">license page</a> >
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// See http://www.boost.org/ for latest version.
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|
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#ifndef BOOST_FURBALL_HPP
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#define BOOST_FURBALL_HPP
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namespace boost {
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// Furball class declaration -----------------------------------------------//
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|
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class furball
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{
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||||
public:
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void throw_up();
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private:
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int whatever;
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||||
}; // furball
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} // namespace
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#endif // include guard</tt></pre>
|
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<h2>Coding Style</h2>
|
||||
<p>The alert reader will have noticed that the <a href="#SampleHeader">sample
|
||||
header</a> employs a certain coding style for indentation, positioning braces,
|
||||
commenting ending braces, and similar formatting issues. These stylistic
|
||||
issues are viewed as personal preferences and are not part of the Boost Header
|
||||
Policy.</p>
|
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<hr>
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<p>Revised <!--webbot bot="Timestamp" s-type="EDITED" s-format="%d %B, %Y" startspan -->02 October, 2003<!--webbot bot="Timestamp" endspan i-checksum="38549" --></p>
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|
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<p>© Copyright Beman Dawes 1998</p>
|
||||
<p>
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||||
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">http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt</a>)
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
|
||||
</body>
|
||||
|
||||
</html>
|
||||
931
lib_guide.htm
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lib_guide.htm
@ -1,931 +0,0 @@
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||||
<!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>
|
||||
Loading…
Reference in New Issue
Block a user