Boost C++ Libraries: Ticket #12884: to_string()

Emil Dotchevski — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 21:13:07 GMT

What's the context of this problem? Boost Exception defines to_string but *only* for types that define operator<< for std::ostream (using enable_if). The Boost Exception definition, if available is generic, so if there is another suitable to_string overload it will be more specific and will be preferred by any overload resolution.

anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 21:26:54 GMT

I was expecting a compile-time error, I was not expecting some to_string() from Boost being called.

Emil Dotchevski — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 22:52:04 GMT

I'm guessing that you get this because your type defines operator<< for std::ostream, which enables boost::to_string. Can you confirm? If that's the case it may be possible to fix this, since the to_string overload is not documented.

anonymous — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:16:00 GMT

Yes, boost::iterator_range defines operator<< and my type derives from it.

Is to_string() supposed to be a private interface? If so, shouldn't it be in a private namespace?

Emil Dotchevski — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 18:35:24 GMT

No, it is not a private interface. What I meant is that the documentation doesn't specify that Boost Exception defines a to_string overload, only that it will call it if it can find it: www.boost.org/doc/libs/release/libs/exception/doc/diagnostic_information.html

anonymous — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 13:26:48 GMT

It does: "for which Boost Exception defines a generic overload."

Emil Dotchevski — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 18:52:15 GMT

Indeed, I stand corrected.