Rob Stewart wrote:
> Disagree strongly all you want, but I only use pointers to
> indicate optional arguments and to pass references (general
> meaning of the word) to objects that are expected to outlive the
> object to which they are given (usually in the ctor). In the
> former case, the argument may be null so I check for that case.
> In the latter, I often use RCSPs, but not always.
>
> I don't use non-const reference parameters often (and when I do
> they are always the first argument(s)). I find they work
> intuitively. You see, such functions always indicate, by their
> very name, that they are providing a value, so the name quite
> reasonably documents the output parameter.
Actually, I think you agree more with me than you think.
Here is a sample of usage we are discussion:
desc.add_options<custom_description>()
// First parameter describes option name/short name
// The second is parameter to option
// The third is description
("help,h", "", "print usage message")
("output,o", parameter("<pathname>", &ofile), "pathname for
output");
Recast it to use a non-const reference parameter for "ofile" following your
guidelines of "the first argument" and "functions always indicate, by their
very name, that they are providing a value".
--
Truth,
James Curran
www.noveltheory.com (personal)
www.njtheater.com (professional)
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