Generative Programming In The Large - Applied C++ meta-programming

ACCU 2007
Generative Programming in the Large
Applied meta-programming
Schalk W. Cronjé
ysb33r@gmail.com

ACCU 2007
Even in this new millennium, many engineers will still
build components that have very little reuse potential
due to the inflexible way that they were constructed.
This leads to excessive time required to adapt a
component for usage in another system.

ACCU 2007
The world of modern
C++ Generative Programming
is a vastly untapped field
(we are just scraping the surface)

ACCU 2007
Definition
It is a software engineering paradigm where the aim is
to automatically manufacture highly customised and
optimised intermediate or end-products from
elementary, reusable components by means of
configuration knowledge.
Implies Code Generation
Domain-specific language
Generic Techniques

ACCU 2007
Elements of Generative
Programming
Problem space Solution space
Configuration
Knowledge
Illegal feature
combinations
Default settings &
dependencies
Construction rules
Optimisations
Configured ComponentsDomain-specific
concepts
Features
Generic Components

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Key Code-level Strategy

ACCU 2007
For effective implementation there is one basic principle
that encompasses most GP strategies:
Dijkstra's Separation of Concerns
This principle accepts the fact that we cannot deal with
many issues at once and that important issues should
be addressed with purpose.

ACCU 2007
Key Code-level Strategies
Develop elementary components as generic
components
Fully testable outside of the intended product
configuration
Configure these components using generated artefacts
appropriate to the programming language
Aim for zero cyclomatic-complexity in the generated
artefacts
Eliminate defects as early as possible

ACCU 2007
In the large ...
Generative C++ can lead to large number of
configuration classes or meta-classes being
generated.
It is not uncommon to work with 50+ tag classes within
a single type-list
Effective integration of meta-programming, compile-
time paradigms and run-time paradigms are required.
Code-bloat must be avoided!

ACCU 2007
Conventions
For the examples assume that the following
namespace aliases exist
using namespace AccuConf;
namespace mpl = AccuConf::mpl;
namespace bmpl = boost::mpl;
All code are implemented in namespace
AccuConf.

ACCU 2007
Building a rule evaluator
(as an example of a generative library)

ACCU 2007
Requirement #1:
Solve complex boolean statements
if (cond_A && cond_B || !cond_C)
return outcome_A;
else if (cond_D)
return outcome_B;
else
return outcome_C;

ACCU 2007
Requirement #2:
Rule-types are defined in a DSL
condition_expr:
input: IP-address
operation: ==
condition_expr:
input: IP-address
operation: in_netmask
condition_expr:
input: Email-address
operation: regex_match

ACCU 2007
Requirement #3:
Short-circuit
// Jump to evaluate !cond_C
if (cond_A && !cond_A || !cond_C)
// Never evaluate cond_D
if( cond_B || !cond_B || cond_D)
// Don't evalute cond_A twice
if( cond_A || cond_A )
if( cond_A && cond_A )

ACCU 2007
Requirement #4:
Compile-time & run-time rules
// Hard-code compile-time
rule1 = cond_A && cond_B
// Loaded at run-time
rule2 = load_rule( "ip in FEFE::/64" );

ACCU 2007
Requirement #5:
Early enforcment
Only allow attribute-operator combinations that have
been defined in DSL
Only allow attributes to be passed that were defined in
DSL

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The conceptual evaluator
Evaluating rules
class Evaluator
{
public:
/**Evaluates the rules against a supplied set
* of attributes
* @param A A collected set of attributes that
will
* be used as input to the rules.
* @return The outcome associated with the rule
* that triggered
*/
Outcome const&
resolve( Properties const& A) const;
};

ACCU 2007
The conceptual evaluator
Adding rules
class Evaluator
{
public:
Outcome const&
resolve( Properties const& A) const;
/**Adds a rule to the rule set
* @param O The outcome to return if this rule
* triggers
* @param N The order of this rule in the ruleset
* @param R the rule to add
*/
void add_rule(
Outcome const& O,Order const& N,Rule const& R
);
};

ACCU 2007
Idiom #1: Generative Property Bag
What does the Properties class look like?

ACCU 2007
Properties class
This can be implemented as a heap-based or a stack-
based approach.
Heap-based:
More memory-efficient, only allocate stored
attributes. Suffers heap-access penalty. Potential
for heap fragmentation.
Stack-based:
Pre-allocate space for all attributes, even if not used.

ACCU 2007
Heap-based Properties class
Use boost::any to provide generic storage
Use boost::map to provide conditional storage
Index using meta-indexes
template <typename GeneratedPropSet>
class Properties
{
public:
// To be implemented ...
private:
typedef std::map< int,boost::any > container_type;
container_type m_attrs;
};

ACCU 2007
Generated Property Set
struct prop
{
struct ip_addr
{
typedef IPAddress value_type;
typedef to-be-decided valid_matches;
};
struct email_addr
{
typedef std::string value_type;
typedef to-be-decided valid_matches;
};
typedef boost::mpl::vector< ip_addr, email_addr >
valid_attrs;
};

ACCU 2007
Setting a Property
class Properties
{
public:
template <typename P>
void set(
typename mpl::property_value<P>::type const&
);
private:
};
Properties<prop> A;
A.set< prop::ip_addr >( "192.168.1.1" );

ACCU 2007
Implementing Property::set
void Properties<GeneratedPropSet>::set(
typename mpl::property_value<P>::type const& v_
)
{
// Ensure that P is valid !
BOOST_MPL_ASSERT_MSG(
(bmpl::contains<
typename mpl::valid_properties<
GeneratedPropSet >::type,P
>::value),
THIS_IS_NOT_A_VALID_PROPERTY,
(P)
);
// Rest to follow ...
}
Static Assertion provides
relatively useful compile-time
error if a invalid type is supplied

ACCU 2007
)
{
bmpl::contains<
>::value,
(P)
);
}
boost::mpl::contains is a
metapredicate that returns TRUE
if P is in the list of valid
properties

ACCU 2007
)
{
(bmpl::contains<
>::value),
(P)
);
}
mpl::valid_properties is our own
metaclass to extract the MPL
sequence of valid property names
from GeneratedPropSet

ACCU 2007
)
{
BOOST_MPL_ASSERT_MSG( ... );
// Find key for map
const int pos =
mpl::property_pos< GeneratedPropSet, P >::value
;
}
mpl::property_pos is our own metaclass
returning the relative position of a type
in a typelist. We use this value as a key
into the map. Due to the MPL_ASSERT
we can be ensured that this is a
valid value.

ACCU 2007
)
{
// Find key for map
const int pos =
mpl::property_pos< GeneratedPropSet, P >::value
;
}
Use of 'const int' allows for optimisation
at compile-time

ACCU 2007
)
{
const int pos = ... ;
// Assign the value
typedef typename mpl::property_value<P>::type
value_type;
m_attrs[pos] = v_;
}

ACCU 2007
(alternative)
template <typename P,typename V>
V const& v_
)
{
const int pos = ... ;
// Assign the value
value_type;
m_attrs[pos] = value_type(v_);
}

ACCU 2007
Getting a Property
class Properties
{
public:
get() const;
private:
};
Properties<prop> A;
A.set< prop::ip_addr >( "192.168.1.1" );
std::cout << A.get< prop::ip_addr >( );

ACCU 2007
Implementing Property::get
Properties<GeneratedPropSet>::get() const
{
// Find key for map
typename container_type::const_iterator itr =
m_attrs.find(
mpl::property_pos< GeneratedPropSet, P
>::value
);
}
Reusing mpl::property_pos we obtain
an iterator to the appropiate property.
Note the use of MPL_ASSERT to ensure
a valid index value

ACCU 2007
{
... itr = m_attrs.find( ... );
if( m_attrs.end() == itr )
throw range_error("Property not set");
}
Throw an exception if the property is not
set. Use Property::is_set predicate if a
no_throw check is needed.
(is_set implementation left as an exercise)

ACCU 2007
{
... itr = m_attrs.find( ... );
if( m_attrs.end() == itr ) ... ;
value_type;
return *boost::any_cast<value_type>
(&(itr->second));
}
We can assume that
the type stored is
correct. Need to use
the & to invoke a
non-copy version
of any_cast.

ACCU 2007
Idiom #2: GGS
Generic-Generated Separation: Access to
generated typelists from generic code should
go through metaclasses.

ACCU 2007
MPL metaclasses
Abstract access to type information through
metaclasses
This allows for specialisation when needed
Improves long-term maintenance

ACCU 2007
Obtaining the value_type
template <typename Property>
struct property_value
{
typedef typename Property::value_type type;
};

ACCU 2007
Sequence of Valid Properties
template <typename Properties>
struct valid_properties
{
typedef typename Properties::valid_properties
type;
};

ACCU 2007
Property Position
template <typename Properties,typename Property>
struct valid_properties :
bmpl::find<
typename valid_properties< Properties>::type,
Property
>::type::pos
{
// Prevent invalid Property
bmpl::contains<
typename valid_properties<
Properties>::type,
Property
>::value,
PROPERTY_NOT_FOUND_IN_SEQUENCE,
(Property,Properties)
);
};

ACCU 2007
Idiom #3: Visit Each
Apply an operation to each generated
member

ACCU 2007
Using Boost for_each
bmpl::for_each<
mpl::valid_properties<Properties>::type
>( FUNCTOR() );
struct FUNCTOR
{
void operator()(P) const;
};
For each type in
sequence calls the
functor

ACCU 2007
bmpl::for_each<
>( FUNCTOR() );
struct FUNCTOR
{
void operator()(P) const;
};
Functor must be able
to accommodate each
type, otherwise
compile-error will occur

ACCU 2007
struct print_ip
{
Properties const& p;
print_ip(Properties const& p_)
: p(p_) {}
void operator()(P) const
{}
void operator()(ip_addr) const
{std::cout << p.get<ip_addr>();}
};
bmpl::for_each<
>( print_ip(my_properties) );

ACCU 2007
Idiom #4: Type-erasure
A known interface irrespective of the types
used

ACCU 2007
Rule Evaluation Signature
bool Functor( Properties const& );
boost::function< bool(Properties const&) >

ACCU 2007
Rule Class
class Rule
{
public:
// C-tors to follow ...
Rule operator || (Rule const&) const;
Rule operator && (Rule const&) const;
Rule operator !() const;
bool operator()(Properties const&) const;
private:
boost::function< bool(Properties const&) > m_rule;
};

ACCU 2007
Rule Class
class Rule
{
public:
template <
typename Property,
typename Operand
>
Rule( Operand<Property> const& op_ );
};

ACCU 2007
Idiom #5: Hekaton Typelist
Working around limitations in existing typelist
libraries

ACCU 2007
Limitations in Boost MPL
sequences
Maximum size of template parameter list is
implementation-dependant
Typically 20
GP might require very long lists
100 types are not uncommon
A special type-list might be needed to convert a
very long generated list into a standard Boost
MPL sequence.

ACCU 2007
Hekaton-typelist
template <
typename T0 = bmpl::na,
typename T1 = bmpl::na,
...,
typename T99 = bmpl::na
>
struct typelist
{
typedef bmpl::vector<T0,...,T19> _list0;
// etc.
// Join lists
typedef bmpl::joint_view<_list0,_list1 > _join0;
typedef bmpl::joint_view<_join0,_list2 > _join1;
//etc.
// until the last join which becomes
typedef to-be-defined type;
};

ACCU 2007
Hekaton-typelist (detail)
namespace detail
{
template <
typename V0 = bmpl::vector<>,
typename V1 = bmpl::vector<>,
...,
typename V9 = bmpl::vector<>
>
struct typelist
{
// detail to follow ...
};
} // namespace detail

ACCU 2007
namespace detail
{
#define P_LIST(z,n,t) BOOST_PP_COMMA_IF(n)
typename V##n = t
template < BOOST_PP_REPEAT(10,P_LIST,bmpl::vector<>) >
struct typelist
{
// detail to follow ...
};
#undef P_LIST

ACCU 2007
namespace detail
{
#define P_LIST(z,n,t) BOOST_PP_COMMA_IF(n)
typename V##n = t
template < BOOST_PP_REPEAT(10,P_LIST,bmpl::vector<>)
>
struct typelist
{
typedef bmpl::joint_view<_V0,_V1 > _join0;
typedef bmpl::joint_view<_join0,V2 > _join1;
//etc. until the last join which becomes
typedef bmpl::joint_view<_join8,V9 > type;
};
#undef P_LIST

ACCU 2007
Hekaton-typelist (final)
#define P_LIST1(z,n,t) BOOST_PP_COMMA_IF(n)
typename T##n = t
#define P_LIST2(z,n,t) BOOST_PP_COMMA_IF(n) t##n
#define P_LIST3(z,n,t) BOOST_PP_COMMA_IF(n)
t < BOOST_PP_REPEAT_FROM_TO(
BOOST_PP_MUL(n,20),
BOOST_PP_ADD(BOOST_PP_MUL(n,20),20),
P_LIST2,T )
>
template < BOOST_PP_REPEAT( 100,P_LIST1,bmpl::na ) >
struct typelist : detail::typelist<
BOOST_PP_REPEAT( 5,P_LIST3, bmpl::vector )
> ::type
{};
#undef P_LIST1
#undef P_LIST2
#undef P_LIST3

ACCU 2007
Idiom #6: Discriminant Union from
Typelist
boost::make_variant_over

ACCU 2007
Discriminant Union
typedef mpl::valid_properties<prop>::type
example_typelist;
typedef boost::make_variant_over<
example_typelist
>::type example_variant;
X

ACCU 2007
Discriminant Union
struct extract_value_type
{
template <typename T> : mpl::property_value<T>
struct apply
{};
};
typedef boost::transform_view<
mpl::valid_properties<prop>::type,
extract_value_type
>::type example_typelist
typedef boost::make_variant_over<
example_typelist
>::type example_variant;

ACCU 2007
Implementation Specifics

ACCU 2007
Compiler Limitations
Few compilers can handle the deep level of
template instantiation very well
gcc 4.x is fast
VC 8 (VS2005) is adequate
gcc 3.x is slow and has big memory footprint
It is not always possible to use the puristic
template solution
Use the Boost Preprocessor Library
Generate code of higher levels of cyclomatic-
complexity

ACCU 2007
Touching the void
Pushing C++ skills far beyond the knowledge of
many C++ practitioners
Politics of introducing a new technology
Teaches very good software skills outside the
C++ domain
Am I in the wrong language?
(Yeah, thanks Kevlin!)
Shows requirements for future languages
Powerful syntax
Simplicity of expression

Generative Programming In The Large - Applied C++ meta-programming

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