Re: Writing/Creating files at compile-time

[Rikki Cattermole via Digitalmars-d]

On 10/08/2015 1:57 p.m., ketmar wrote:
On Sun, 09 Aug 2015 09:07:49 +0000, JDemler wrote:
We can read files at compile-time:

    enum file = import(fileName);

But we cannot write to a file or create files at compile time.

Generating code at compile-time and mixing it in is fun but has a few
flaws.
It isn't debuggable, the generated code cannot be directly inspected (we
have to use pragma(msg, )) and it is not possible to manually tweak it.

If we could generate source files (.d) at compile time and then import
them using mixins or something else, these problems can be dealt with.

next will be full filesystem access, 'cause hey, we need directory
listings! and stat()! and unlink()! and wow, how can we live without http
downloader?! and...

I think you mean dlopen, dlsym and dlclose. Not full file system access 
geez.

this road has no end, and the problem already has a solution:
preprocessing step. nothing stops you from writing your preprocessors in
D and run 'em as a part of your build script.

We are already getting so close to have a full blown CTFE implementation 
that it isn't funny.