Seven Signs of Successful (C++) Software Libraries

I'm in a new role, and we're doing a _lot_ of high-performance C++. Since it's a leadership role, part of my responsibilities is to advocate and educate quality practices and processes.

In an introductory talk I just gave, I discussed different views on software quality, and mentioned the Seven Signs of Successful (C++) Software Libraries, as presented in detail in the Prologue of Extended STL v1. As I was preparing the talk I realised there was no online resource that one could obtain from the name, hence this post and its searchable title (and URL).

In brief:

• Correctness, Robustness, & Reliability;
• Discoverability & Transparency;
• Efficiency;
• Expressiveness;
• Flexibility;
• Modularity;
• Portability;

Each of these is also discussed in detail in the first instalment - "Quality Matters #1: Introductions and Nomenclature" - of the column Quality Matters in ACCU's Overload journal. (Also republished with corrections here.)

Joining string collections

Problem: Join a collection of strings, with a given separator

Answer: Use stlsoft::string_concatenator()

Related Chapter: Extended STL, volume 1 chapter 40

Example:

  typedef std::string           string_t;
  typedef std::vector<string_t> strings_t;

  strings_t patterns;

  patterns.push_back("*.cpp");
  patterns.push_back("*.cxx");
  patterns.push_back("*.hpp");
  patterns.push_back("*.hxx");

  string_t result;

  std::copy(coll.begin(), coll.end()
          , stlsoft::string_concatenator(result, "|"));

  assert("*.cpp|*.cxx|*.hpp|*.hxx" == result);

Extended STL (volume 1) Inventions: Introductions

As I've done for Imperfect C++, I'm going to enumerate the inventions (as opposed to techniques, or already established technologies) introduced in Extended STL (volume 1). Specifically, what are the (C++) programming components/techniques/technologies that I invented that are documented in the book.

I will make a series of posts covering the inventions, including:

• element reference categories, including the By-Value Temporary Reference
• Argument-dependent Return-type Variance (ARV)
• External Iterator Invalidation
  
• examination of the separation of Reversibilitty and Bidirectionality
• UNIXSTL's glob_sequence
• UNIXSTL's readdir_sequence
• InetSTL's findfile_sequence
• InetSTL's ftpdir_sequence
• WinSTL's findfile_sequence
• WinSTL's listbox_sequence and combobox_sequence
• WinSTL's pid_sequence
• WinSTL's process_module_sequence
• MFCSTL's CArray_cadaptor
  
• MFCSTL's CArray_iadaptor
  
• WinSTL's child_window_sequence
• WinSTL's zorder_iterator
• PlatformSTL's environment_map
• STLSoft's string_tokeniser
• COMSTL's enumerator_sequence
• COMSTL's collection_sequence
  
• ACESTL's message_queue_sequence
  
• STLSoft's ostream_iterator
• STLSoft's cstring_concatenator_iterator
  
• STLSoft's string_concatenator_iterator
• STLSoft's member_selector_iterator
• STLSoft's adapted_iterator_traits
• STLSoft's filter_iterator
  
• STLSoft's transform_iterator

Over time, I'll post short examples/explanations regarding each of these.

Extended STL online content

I thought it'd be useful to list the available online resources for Extended STL:

The Book:

• The eBook (PDF) version of the book, available from Addison-Wesley

Front Matter:

• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Prologue
• Presentation Conventions
  

Sample Chapters:

• Chapter 23: The Fibonnaci Sequence - a PDF of the chapter as it appears in the book
• Chapter 31: Gathering Scattered I/O - the sample chapter in article form, published in The C++ Source (September 2007)
• Chapter 42: Filtered Iteration - a PDF of the chapter as it appears in the book
  

Related Articles:

• An Enhanced ostream_iterator, Matthew Wilson, Dr Dobb's Journal, June 2007
• Adapting Interface-incomplete Types at Compile Time, C/C++ Users Journal, December 2005
• Argument-dependent Return-type Variance, Matthew Wilson, C/C++ Users Journal, November 2005
• Wild-card Searches of UNIX Directories with Random Access Iterators, Matthew Wilson, The C++ Source, September 12, 2004
• Reading UNIX Directories via STL-compliant Sequences, Matthew Wilson, The C++ Source, June 21, 2004

 I'll update this list from time to time as I remember more ...

Welcome to the "Extended STL" blog!

Just a first "hello" to all readers of Extended STL, and of this blog. I've created this blog for three reasons:

• To announce news regarding the book (such as reprints, reviews, and so on) and other books (including the books I'm currently working on)
  
• To highlight, or discuss further, issues highlighted within the book
• To discuss new issues, libraries, techniques and tools that I think may be of interest to the readers of Extended STL

Thanks for listening

Matt