Subj : Re: Compiler and an interpreter
To   : comp.programming
From : Jon Harrop
Date : Sun Jul 31 2005 02:33 pm

Gerry Quinn wrote:
> In article <42eb8672$0$14673$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net>,
> usenet@jdh30.plus.com says...
>> C++ isn't worth using unless you use the STL, IMHO. Error messages from
>> all of the compilers that I have seen are completely unwieldy when using
>> the STL. For example, the following code contains an extra "const":
> 
> STL is just a library.  I got on well enough with the MFC collection
> classes for a while, although I do prefer STL now.  I still use MFC
> CString.  The rest of the stuff is just functions you might need once
> in a while.
> 
> [STL example - I'm not sure I would call it C++]

I don't think there's any question that it is C++. If you write code that
uses the more advanced features of C++ then you'll get many such errors
(and probably even compiler errors).

>> What you are saying is true in C but not in C++.
> 
> It's true in C++ in my experience - STL errors are not as common as
> simple syntax errors.

In my experience, STL errors are far more common than syntax errors. I
rarely make syntax errors...

> Perhaps if you are trying to emulate some kind 
> of functional language with C++ you will get more.

No, you just need to be pushing elements onto a list and so forth. I knew
nothing of functional programming when I was using C++.

> There is a freeware add-on called STLFilt that is supposed to parse
> these errors for common compilers - haven't tried it.  At the end of
> the day an uninformative error message still does most of its job as it
> tells you there is an error and approximately where.

Yes, Bjarne gave some lectures on how he thought C++ compilers could give
better messages in the context of template-heavy code. This is just one of
many problems born out of poor design though. I've never seen another
language with such terrible error reporting.

I'd strongly advise all C++ programmers to consider something less sucky,
like OCaml.

-- 
Dr Jon D Harrop, Flying Frog Consultancy
http://www.ffconsultancy.com

.