[C++-sig] Protected destructor compile error

[David Abrahams]

"Ralf W. Grosse-Kunstleve" <rwgk at yahoo.com> writes:

> --- Roman Yakovenko <roman.yakovenko at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 6/22/06, David Abrahams <dave at boost-consulting.com> wrote:
>> > Boost.Python assumes that a const reference argument means that
>> > the function can accept "rvalues", e.g. objects implicitly
>> > converted from other python types.
>> 
>> I am sure I am missing something trivial.
>> 
>> Why Boost.Python does such assumption? 

Because that's the way it works in C++.  The aim of Boost.Python is to
make the Python interface reflect the C++ interface.  Probably
"assumes" was the wrong word.  I should have said "is designed so."

>> In my opinion Boost.Python, in this case does not have to make any
>> assumption.
>> 
>> If user want to enjoy from conversion he should register it, right?
>> He does this using:
>> 
>> 1. implicitly_convertible
>> 2. register_ptr_to_python
>> 3. class_::bases

bases<...> has nothing to do with it; they don't enable rvalue
conversions.  Nor does register_ptr_to_python.  We're talking about
from-python conversions here.

>> If none of those has been used, Boost.Python can safely assume that
>> the class could not be built from other python types.
>
> Boost.Python also supports custom rvalue converters. See the FAQ for
> examples.  

And there are built-in rvalue conversions, e.g., Python str to
std::string, Python float to C++ float, etc.  You definitely don't
want the temporary string or float binding to a non-const reference.

> You'd need two different mechanisms for types that allow
> custom from_python conversions (involving the construction and
> destruction of temporaries) and those that don't. I am guessing
> David considered that extra effort not worthwhile or impractical.

Not really; I actually never considered treating types nonuniformly in
this way, and I don't think it would be tenable to do so based on
whether custom from_python conversions are allowed.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com