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utility Namespace Reference
[Contract checking for Vaucansn, Utility constructs for Vaucanson]

In Vaucanson, several types of contracts can be placed in the library code. More...

Compounds
struct	utility::remove_reference
	Turn a reference type into its corresponding plain type. More...
struct	utility::remove_const
	Turn a const type into its corresponding mutable type. More...
struct	utility::static_if
	Choose between two types or values depending on a constant boolean. More...
struct	utility::static_eq
	Test for equality between two types. More...
struct	utility::static_pow
	Static exponentiation. More...
struct	utility::static_pow_minus_one
	Static exponentiation, result minus one. More...
class	utility::SupportIterator
	Iterator over the Support generic class. More...
class	utility::Support< std::map< U, T > >
	Support<map<U, T> > is a const adapter of std::map to container. More...
class	utility::SparseIterator
	SparseIterator is an iterator over range except some points. More...
class	utility::SparseInterval
	Container over a sparse integer range. More...
class	utility::SelfIterator
	SelfIterator is an iterator which is also a container. More...
Functions
template<class U, class T>	Support< std::map< U, T > >::Support (const Support &s)
	support<map<U, T> > is a const adapter of std::map to container.

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Detailed Description

In Vaucanson, several types of contracts can be placed in the library code.

Assertions

Assertions are a weak kind of contract, which states that a specified property must hold.

A failed assertion should always mean that an internal inconsistency has been detected, caused by a software (or hardware) bug.

Preconditions

Preconditions ensure that the prerequisites for using a function or instanciating a template are fulfilled.

Breach of a precondition should prevent the library user from using a feature, either generating a type error for forbidden template instanciations or run-type exception at function entry.

Postconditions

Postconditions ensure that the result of a computation exhibit the specified properties.

Breach of a precondition should show that an algorithm is false.

Call to pure abstract services

Some services are purely abstract and should not be called directly. In most cases this kind of information is expressed through C++ typing.

Warnings

In addition to contracts, the library is equiped with mechanisms intended to inform the user of misbehaviors, undocumented properties, deprecated features and so on.

Deprecated features

Deprecated features are features that have been superceded by others, and intended to be removed at some point.

Weak implementations

Weak implementations are code pieces written to ensure that a specified feature is provided, but was not tested for full conformance.

Weak implementations should work with most trivial cases but denote a library weakness on which the developers will focus.

Incomplete implementation

Incomplete implementations are code pieces written to ensure that a specified expressivity is provided, but without providing the actual feature.

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