[vtkusers] vtkStdString vs vtkstd::string

[Marcus D. Hanwell]

I am with Francois, can we use namespace aliasing? I think with the work I 
have been doing (when I have had time) on GCC default visibility in VTK 
keeping the symbols short should be much less of an issue with supported 
compilers too. Initial indications are a 30-40% drop in exported symbols in 
most kits.

Marcus

On Thursday 14 January 2010 09:24:44 Francois Bertel wrote:
> As a macro hater, can I suggest "namespace aliasing" instead?
> 
> Here is what I mean with a full example (just tested with gcc 4.4.1)
> 
> #include <iostream>
> 
> int main()
> {
>   // define vtkstd as an alias to std
>   namespace vtkstd=std;
> 
>   vtkstd::cout << "hello" << vtkstd::endl;
> 
>   return 0;
> }
> 
> On Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 9:09 AM, Jeff Baumes <jeff.baumes at kitware.com> 
wrote:
> > On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 7:15 PM, David Doria <daviddoria+vtk at gmail.com> 
wrote:
> >> The doc for vtkStdString says:
> >>
> >> Wrapper around vtkstd::string to keep symbols short.
> >> vtkStdString derives from vtkstd::string to provide shorter symbol
> >> names than basic_string<...> in namespace std given by the standard
> >> STL string.
> >>
> >> But I guess I don't understand what that means. When should one use
> >> vtkStdString vs vtkstd::string?
> >
> > I don't know the answer to your question, but it would be nice if all
> > these pointed to the same underlying thing: std::string. I'm assuming
> > the older compilers are responsible for the need for short symbols.
> > Perhaps the compiler deprecation that Berk sent recently will allow us
> > to eventually replace all vtkStdString and vtkstd::string with
> > std::string?
> >
> > We are thinking to maybe start testing the use of std::string in the
> > examples first.
> >
> > Longer term, we could do something like the following:
> >
> > typedef std::string vtkStdString;
> > #define vtkstd std
> >
> > So the old type names could still be used, but we could in time
> > replace all occurrences in VTK to just use std::string. Eventually the
> > old aliases could be removed.
> >
> > But there could be unforeseen issues with this idea that force us to
> > continue using vtkStdString/vtkstd::string.
> >
> > Jeff
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-- 
Marcus D. Hanwell, Ph.D.
R&D Engineer, Kitware Inc.
(518) 881-4937