Adding items to an aliased namespace - c++

I'm using a namespace to switch between different versions of my database implementation. My client code should not need to know the details so I use a namespace alias to hide the specific version from the client code.
db_v1.h
namespace db_v1
{
class Database ...
}
db_def.h
#ifdef _DB_V1
#include "db_v1.h"
#endif
namespace db = db_v1;
Now if I want to extend the namespace with additional items, which are not version specific, I would like to add them to the namespace db, but the problem is that I can not use namespace db because it is an alias.
db_global.h
namespace db <-- should be using the namespace for the current version
{
typedef enum
{
OK
} value;
}
Obviously I get an error here because the namespace db already exists, while what I really want is, to extend the namespace without knowing wich version is the current one.
As far as I can see, I would have to put such a defintion into a separate namespace like db_global or I would have to duplicate such symbols in all versions, which I don't really like.
Is there some way to define it such that I can write in the client code something like:
x = db::value::OK;

Maybe
#ifdef _DB_V1
#include "db_v1.h"
#endif
namespace db {
using namespace db_v1;
}
in db_def.h instead of namespace db = db_v1;? This way all contents of db_v1 are imported into db namespace. Obviously, it may be conditionally-compiled:
namespace db {
#ifdef _DB_V1
using namespace db_v1;
#elif defined _DB_V2
using namespace db_v2;
#endif
}
For example, this code works well:
namespace db_v1 {
void foo(){}
}
namespace db_v2 {
void foo(){}
}
namespace db {
using namespace db_v1;
}
namespace db {
typedef enum
{
OK
} value;
}

Related

Understanding TOTW 153 example with namespace polution

In TOTW 153 it is claimed that using namespace in function scope can leak in the global scope,
in other words they claim this is:
namespace totw {
namespace example {
namespace {
TEST(MyTest, UsesUsingDirectives) {
using namespace ::testing;
Sequence seq; // ::testing::Sequence
WallTimer timer; // ::WallTimer
}
} // namespace
} // namespace example
} // namespace totw
roughly equivalent to:
using ::testing::Expectation;
using ::testing::Sequence;
using ::testing::UnorderedElementsAre;
...
// many, many more symbols are injected into the global namespace
namespace totw {
namespace example {
namespace {
TEST(MyTest, UsesUsingDirectives) {
Sequence seq; // ::testing::Sequence
WallTimer timer; // ::WallTimer
...
}
} // namespace
} // namespace example
} // namespace totw
So I expected that if I do this it will compile:
#include <gtest/gtest.h>
#include <gmock/gmock.h>
namespace totw {
namespace example {
namespace {
TEST(MyTest, UsesUsingDirectives) {
using namespace ::testing;
Sequence seq; // ::testing::Sequence
}
} // namespace
} // namespace example
} // namespace totw
Sequence s; //notice no testing::
It does not. So I wonder if I am wrong in replicating the example, or is the TOTW153 example misleading?
My best guess is that their example is "wrong" in a sense that what they claim is roughly equivalent is not really equivalent in a sense I would assume it is.
You are correct that the "transpiled" code could lead one to think that your last snippet should work. But that's not what they meant.
The using ::testing::Expectation etc. are added to the global namespace from the perspective of the TEST scope. In other words, the transpiled code is effectively identical to the original only within the TEST scope. Outside of that scope there is no effect, but the problems they list are still problems (unless you know that neither the TEST scope contents nor the contents of any involved namespaces will ever be changed). In other words, the using introduces potential collisions between all (present and future) symbols in that TEST scope and the symbols (present and future) in all the involved namespaces. Sounds less scary but will still bite you in the long run.

Using functions from namespace inside other namespace

Is it any way to omit outer namespace name for some functions from other namespace inside top-level one?
void sample_func();
namespace foo {
void first_func();
namespace bar {
void second_func();
void sample_func();
}
Everything is trivial for first_func(): just typing using foo::first_func; allows to call it just as fist_func();
Everything is simple if I want to call second_func without any prefix: just using foo::bar::second_func; allows to call it as second_func();
But is there any way to call it as bar::second_func();? It will increase code readability - much better to type and see something like bar::sample_func instead of full foo::bar::sample_func without names confusion: obviously using namespace foo::bar is not an option in that case.
UPD I am not interested in importing the whole foo or bar namespace (i. e. using namespace ... directive! I need just some functions from them.
You can use
namespace bar = foo::bar;
to import foo::bar into current namespace as just bar.
Prefix it with the namespace:: or :: if not in a namespace i.e
::sample_func();
foo::first_func();
bar::second_func();
bar::sample_func();
You can use
using namespace foo;
in any declarative region where you wish to use just first_func() and bar::sample_func().
Example:
int main()
{
using namespace foo;
first_func();
bar::sample_func();
}

How to extend an assigned namespace

I want to explain my question over an instance. I am using an third party library, having its own namespace. I want to import a part of this library, having its own namespace inside the namespace mentioned below.
namespace library {
namespace part {
}
}
There is also a hierarchy in the current project. I want to import and extend the library::part inside to my project with another name. I try to do as below:
#include <library/part>
namespace project {
namespace my_part = library::part;
}
namespace project {
namespace my_part {
void my_extension_1();
void my_extension_2();
}
}
The scenario can be done with the current tools of the language? If not, how should a workaround can be done? Still not, why?
Edit: Error message gcc 5.3.0 dumps:
error: conflicting declaration of namespace ‘project::my_part’
Edit: There is a suggestion about extending the original namespace, but that I am asking for. library::part users should not have a direct access to the functions I have added.
I believe you want to make a namespace of your own that contains
everything that library::part contains, and more besides, without
putting anything more into library::part. Like this?
namespace library {
namespace part {
const int library_part_i = 123;
}
}
namespace project {
namespace part {
using namespace library::part;
void my_extension_1(){};
void my_extension_2(){};
}
}
int main()
{
// const int i = library_part_i; <- Does not compile
// const int i = project::library_part_i; <- Does not compile
const int i = project::part::library_part_i;
// library::part::my_extension_1(); <- Does not compile
project::part::my_extension_2();
return 0;
}

File-specific namespace

I'm wondering if there's something like a file-specific namespace in C++. Something like the following:
namespace thisFile
{
// whatever code
};
using namespace thisFile;
where thisFile might get translated to some unique thing, such as:
namespace FAJIW0E0RTI43LNAFWENA
{
// whatever code
};
using namespace FAJIW0E0RTI43LNAFWENA;
or perhaps there is an alternative convenient way to accomplish the same thing (i.e. without manually specifying a unique namespace).
Use anonymous namespace:
namespace {
...
}

Can I undo the effect of "using namespace" in C++?

With using namespace I make the whole contents of that namespace directly visible without using the namespace qualifier. This can cause problems if using namespace occurs in widely used headers - we can unintendedly make two namespaces with identical classes names visible and the compiler will refuse to compile unless the class name is prepended with the namespace qualifier.
Can I undo using namespace so that the compiler forgets that it saw it previously?
No, but you can tell your coworkers that you should never have a using directive or declaration in a header.
As others said, you can't and the problem shouldn't be there in the first place.
The next-best thing you can do is bring in your needed symbols so that they are preferred by the name look-up:
namespace A { class C {}; }
namespace B { class C {}; }
using namespace A;
using namespace B;
namespace D {
using A::C; // fixes ambiguity
C c;
}
In some cases you can also wrap the offending includes with a namespace:
namespace offender {
# include "offender.h"
}
No, C++ Standard doesn't say anything about "undo". The best you are allowed to do is to limit scope of using:
#include <vector>
namespace Ximpl {
using namespace std;
vector<int> x;
}
vector<int> z; // error. should be std::vector<int>
But unfortunately using namespace Ximpl will bring all names from std namespace as well.
Not to my knowledge... But as a rule I only use "using namespace" in .cpp files.
The closest, that I'll try to use in header files is following:
//example.h
#ifndef EXAMPLE_H_
#define EXAMPLE_H_
/**
* hating c++ for not having "undo" of using namespace xx
*/
#define string std::string
#define map std::map
class Example {
public:
Example (const char *filename);
Example (string filename);
~Example ();
private:
map<string,complicated_stuff*> my_complicated_map;
};
#undef string
#undef map
#endif //EXAMPLE_H_
after all, defines are #undef -able.
There are 2 problems:
1. it is ugly
2. separate #define and #undef for each name from the corresponding namespace are used
As stated you should not use using namespace sth in header files. When you need functionality from a namespace in your implementation you can leverage scopes like this:
void func() {
// some code agnostic to your namespace.
{
using namespace sth;
// some code aware of sth.
}
// some other code agnostic to your namespace.
}