Scripting C++ -- Boost.Python vs CORBA vs ???

[David Abrahams]

"Craig Maloney" <cmaloney at physics.ucsb.edu> wrote in message
news:6bf54244.0202260920.5920efc6 at posting.google.com...
> Hi David.
>
> Since I'm not a "computer guy" per se, I was wondering if you could
> clear up some more of my confusion.  I don't know much about how
> compilers work, but I would presume that any compiler (eg g++) would
> create some internal representation, similar to the .cil file, after
> parsing but before compiling.

After parsing but before code generation (parsing is just part of
compiling), but yes, most compilers work that way.

> Presumably the EDG front end is geared toward producing this information
> in a format more suited to being used by the "wrapper generators" in
contrast
> with a compiler which produces this information only for itself and with
> the sole goal of compiling an object file?

Not exactly. EDG makes a front-ends which they sell to vendors of full
compiler solutions (Intel, KAI, Comeau, Compaq, ...). As such, their
requirements for a well-defined and accessible intermediate representation
(IR) are higher than other front-end writers.

> What I'm getting at is that I'm confused as to why people wouldn't have
> used information from the compiler *itself* to automate the process of
> wrapper generation.

They did. EDG's front end is part of many of the best C++ compilers.

> Obviously the compiler writer people would have to
> collaborate with the wrapper generator people... but there must be
technical
> obstacles?

What's in it for the compiler writer people?

ask-not-what-your-compiler-can-do-for-you-ly y'rs,
Dave