boost_1_45_0/libs/program_options/doc/post_review_plan.txt

 Program options post-review development plan.

0. Convert all documentation to BoostBook format

1. (done)
   Simplify and clarify interface.
   
   It turns out that most users are interested in 'variables_map' class, so
   it must be possible to use it directly, without even knowing about
   'options_and_arguments'. The proposed interface is:

   options_description desc;
   ....
   variables_map vm;
   load_from_command_line(vm, desc, argc, argv);

2. (done)
   Better separation of syntaxic and semantic processing, as suggested by
   Pavol Droba. 

   The problem with current 'option_description' interface is that the
   'validator' and 'notifier' callbacks are not really usable by ordinary
   users --- it's extender's interface. The current 'parameter' function uses
   those callback to provide user-friendly semantic interface, but it's not
   documented nor completely worked out.

   In the new interface, the second parameter of 'option_description' ctor
   will have two possibilities: just a string and a pointer to a new class
   'value_descriptor'. When passed the latter, it will invoke the instance on
   itself, and then delete the object. A function 'value' will be provided,
   that will create value specific for a type.

   Example
       ("magic", value<int>("n", &n)->default_value(10), "magic value").

   The 'value' function will create instances of 'typed_value_descriptor'
   type, with the following methods:
       - default_value
       - interpreter
       - validator
       - notifier

   The 'option_description' class we'll have two attributes to support
   semantic operation: 'generator', which will handle conversion from string
   into value (including application of default value), and 'notifier'. Similiar
   to the the current design, those attributes will be set by
   'value_descriptor' instances.
   
   Another function, "bool_switch" will create value descriptor for type bool,
   with default value of false. The function is needed to avoid special-casing
   'value' function on bool type, which was considered confusing (Neal D. Becker).

3. (done) Support for positional options. 

   Positional options will be treated uniformly with ordinary ones. User will
   be able to specify that, for example, third positional option is to be
   interpreted as option "output-file" with the same value.

   The user interface will be simple: user will provide two instanes of
   'options_description' to functions which parse command line. For example.

   options_description desc;
   desc.add_options()
   ("magic", "n", "magic value")
   ;

   options_description pdesc;
   pdesc.add_options()
   ("output-file", "n", "output file")
   ("input-files*", value< vector<string> >("n"), "files")
   ;

   variables_map vm;
   load_from_command_line(vm, desc, pdesc, argc, argv);

4. (done, except for registry) 
   Multiple sources improvement.
 
   Need to implement support for registry/environment.
   Also, must devise a way to handle different naming of option in
   sources. Lastly, the storing of values into program variables should
   become part of 'variables_map' interface.

5. Improve documentation.

   Chuck Messenger:
   "When code is given for an example program, after the code, give examples of
   using the program, along with the expected output."

   Pavol Droba:
    "I would prefer a few chapters explaining various components of the
    library, each followed by a reference."

    Pavel Vozenilek:
    > Documentation should contain list of compilers the library works on and
    > also info whether MSVC 6 port is feasible or not.
    >
    > The non-Doxygen part of documentation can be also a bit expanded: e.g. I
    > would welcome some high level overview of the algorithms and structures and
    > info about expected CPU/memory consumption.
    >
    > Also info whether there are any internal limits (like option length) .
    >
    > Some examples may be bit more annotated, also contain what is expected
    > output.

    Syntax highligting.

    Document "*" in option names 
    Automated tests for examples?
    (new) Comments inside code snippets?
    (new) Table of all symbols


6. (deferred) 
   Unicode support

   - unicode in argv/argc
   - Unicode in config files not supported
    (
       The difference between ASCII and unicode files is:
         - big endian UTF16 starts with 2 bytes FE FF 9mandatory by Unicode
        standard) - little endian UTF16 starts with FF FE
          - UTF8 text starts with EF BB BF

        Pavel Vozenilek
     )

7. Config file improvements

   - should have "allow_unregistered" for config_file.
   - (done) bool options in config file do not work.
   - "#" inside strings, in config files (Pavel Vozenilek)

8. 
   Cmdline improvements

   - must be able to parse WinMain string
   - support for response files

9. Other changes.

   - (outdated) get_value -> value (Beman)
   - (done) is "argv" const in std, or not? Adjust docs if not.
   - variables_map::count_if, find_if (Tanton Gibbs)
   - Works with exceptions disabled.
   - (outdated) disallow empty name for the 'parameter' function
   - check for prefixes if 'allow_guessing' is on
   - check for duplicate declaration of options. 
   - test additional parser
   - Show default values in help output
   - Adaptive field width
   - Mandatory options (2 votes (second Jonathan Graehl))
   - (new) return vector from parsers by auto_ptr, not by value?
   - (new) rename value_semantic into value_description
   - (new) output for positional_options_description
   - (new) variables_map should throw when value not found
   - (important) decide where we check that the number of passed option
      tokens is less than the allowed number. In parser or later?
   - (important) what if the same option has different definitions?
   - (new) We lost the ability to specify options_description instance
     in call to 'store'. So now we can't store just subset of options.
     Is it a problem?
   - (new) Improve formatting of 'arg'.   
   - (new) revive real and regexp examples.
   - (new) even more simpler syntax for assignent to var?


10. Uncertain
    - Function to get program name
    - Order of 'description' and 'value'.
       

11. (new) Look at all "TODO" comments.
    (new) Check that all methods are documented.

        
12. Deferred 

   - storing value to boost::optional 
   - setting a flag when option is found