Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!mcvax!ukc!strath-cs!glasgow!orr
From: orr@cs.glasgow.ac.uk (Fraser Orr)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: Managing C++ Libraries: Problems Defined
Message-ID: <1814@crete.cs.glasgow.ac.uk>
Date: 2 Nov 88 14:21:05 GMT
References: <4959@thorin.cs.unc.edu>
Reply-To: orr%cs.glasgow.ac.uk@nss.cs.ucl.ac.uk (Fraser Orr)
Organization: Comp Sci, Glasgow Univ, Scotland
Lines: 48

In article <4959@thorin.cs.unc.edu> coggins@coggins.cs.unc.edu (Dr. James Coggins) writes:
>The management of dependencies and header files in a C++ library is an
>essential problem that, for many potential C++ developers, seriously
>limits the usefulness of the language.  We have developed a scheme
>that ensures efficient inclusion of required header files while
>requiring minimal effort from the application developer.  This scheme
>is not difficult to use, but it is rather intricate and takes some
>effort to establish.  Once in place, however, maintenance and use of
>the library are greatly simplified.  We will describe this

I also have developed a scheme to simplify the management of header
files (as part of a larger program managment scheme.) It is simple to
use and set up.  And after a short while becomes almost unnoticable.  In
essence each chunk of Code begins with a line that names that chunk and
gives it a type.  (The type of information contained in that chunk,
class, type declerations etc) This is followed by a line explaining what
other chunks are used.  This is run through a preprocessor that inserts
the appropriate includes and declarations.  A quick example will
illuminate .

You type ...

Class Queue
Uses  ItemType

Class Queue {
	ItemType Data [100] ; 
	public:
	.
	.
	.
} ;


And the declaration of ItemType is automatically inserted.

It works by keeping a file of names and associated decalrations which is
maintained from compile to compile.  This (in my humble opinion) is what
should have happened in the first place.

I heard at a conference I was at recently, that the next version of C++
from AT&T is going to include type info in the .o files, and check inter
module type infromation at link time.  Does anyone know if this rumour
is true?

==Fraser Orr ( Dept C.S., Univ. Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK)
UseNet: {uk}!cs.glasgow.ac.uk!orr       JANET: orr@uk.ac.glasgow.cs
ARPANet(preferred xAtlantic): orr%cs.glasgow.ac.uk@nss.cs.ucl.ac.uk