[vtkusers] vtkStdString vs vtkstd::string

[David Thompson]

> 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;
>  ...

Hi all,

Since Berk just formally announced that MSVC{6, 7.0} and BCC 5.6 are  
no longer supported (thanks, Kitware!), do we need vtkstd at all? I  
don't remember what compilers had problems with the STL being the  
global namespace instead of std::, but perhaps all of the supported  
compilers have it in std:: now? If so, shouldn't we get rid of the  
namespace macros/aliasing altogether?

	David



> 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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>
>
>
> -- 
> François Bertel, PhD  | Kitware Inc. Suite 204
> 1 (518) 371 3971 x113 | 28 Corporate Drive
>                      | Clifton Park NY 12065, USA
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