How to use C++

[elfs]

How To Use C++

• Real Men use class heirarchies.
• Real Programmers use templates and generics.
• Loonies write the entire program as a cpp macro expansion
• Munchkins use Microsoft wizards and Visual Basic

Comments

[urox.livejournal.com]

What's your preferred debugger for C++?

[elfs.livejournal.com]

GDB. If I have X, DDD as a front-end to GDB.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_candide_/]

Hah! My frontend for GDB is Emacs. ^_^

[caprine.livejournal.com]

...I spray tea on my monitor and fall out of my chair. And I don't even know enough about programming to get this on a deep level; I just know the Four Types of Gamers.

[elfs.livejournal.com]

My work here is done!

[srmalloy.livejournal.com]

I am reminded of the submission to the Obfuscated C contest some years ago which was a fairly short program that would compile and run as a C program, as a FORTRAN program, as a Perl script, and in csh. That's more what I expect from Loonies.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_candide_/]

(C++) Template Metaprogramming, when used appropriately, is absolutely vital. Trying to achieve the same result without them (even if you have Java/C# Generics) requires copious amounts of copy+paste+edit.

[Oh … turns out that there's an easy solution to the "template code-bloat problem". Say you normally have "TClass.h" and "TClass.tcc", the header and definition of a class called [duh] TClass. Here's what you do:

(A) Move "TClass.tcc" into a "details" subdirectory.

(B) Create a "TClass.cc" file, containing a forward declaration for every template-instantiation you intend to support. It should [obviously] '#include "details/TClass.tcc"'.

(C) Optionally create a "TClass_fwd.h" header that creates typedefs for your supported template-instantiations of TClass.

(D) Link any binary or library that uses one of those supported template-instantiations with "TClass.o".

I use this technique all of the time. Works like a charm.]

[elfs.livejournal.com]

That reads like a case of Design Patterns Are Missing Language Features (http://www.c2.com/cgi/wiki?AreDesignPatternsMissingLanguageFeatures).

[http://users.livejournal.com/_candide_/]

Yep, I've heard that one before. I agree with it, too. But what I've described regarding C++ Templates isn't so much a missing language feature as a hidden one, paired with stylistics.

Current C++ language style recommends putting the implementation of template (member) functions in a file named *.tcc. Another style recommendation is putting headers and *.tcc files that Have No User-Servicable Parts in a subdirectory named "details" (and, often, in a sub-namespace called "details", as well).

As for the hidden feature: Once you instantiate a C++ template class, it has external linkage. Template functions have external linkage if they're namespace members. Therefore, you only need to instantiate the template once, in one translation unit, then link to that translation unit to your heart's content. Just like for a non-template C++ class.

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

Real men use straight C and their products run on the user interface WTHIAOS.

What the heck is an operating system?

:)