From: Jeff Squyres <jsquyres@XXXXXXXXX>
Date: January 18, 2008 1:18:33 PM CST
To: mpi-21@XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Subject: Re: [mpi-21] const MPI C++ handles
Reply-To: mpi-21@XXXXXXXXXXXXX

On Jan 18, 2008, at 2:11 PM, Erez Haba wrote:

> I looked up this issue and did not find a C++ *standard* that spans  
> that many platforms and compilers.
>
> The ISO C++ 98 standard itself does have libraries, but they  
> provide the headers which are less ambiguous. (including various  
> const values (like INT_MAX)) (think ABI :))

Hah!  Surely you're not implying that C++ compilers produce code that  
is ABI-compatible with other C++ compilers?  :-D

> I agree that we'll need to enable the recommendation in the  
> standard interface. We'll need to agree that the semantic of  
> changing the underlying MPI handle is not changing the object (and  
> thus can define the method as const).
>
> I don't think you'll need an overloaded function for the Set_*  
> functions; const methods are good for non const objects.

Good point -- a const method will match a corresponding non-const  
(*this).

Just trying to be cautious: would there ever be a reason to have a  
non-const version of the Set_* functions?

-- 
Jeff Squyres
Cisco Systems