Working with other libraries, part 1: Loki performance testing in FastFormat

FastFormat's performance test programs are available from the command-line, via "make -e test.performance".

Since 0.2.1 alpha 2, the distribution has included support for testing against Boost's Boost.Format library. As long as you have an environment variable BOOST defined - under which the boost directory resides - then the above make command-line will provide you with performance tests including Boost.Format. That's reasonably easy to do, because Boost.Format is header-only.

With 0.2.1 beta 6, I needed to include Loki's SafeFormat library. This presented something of a challenge, however, because Loki comes as header+implementation, i.e. it has .cpp files.

FastFormat, like several other STLSoft-related, libraries builds an exhaustive set of configurations. For example, with Visual C++ 9, it builds debug multithreaded, debug multithreaded dll, release multithreaded, and release multithreaded dll. Loki's distribution includes VC++ project/solution files that only provide the multithreaded (not the multithreaded dll) configurations. Problem: how to use Loki.SafeFormat if Loki is detected (by presence of LOKI environment variable).

This problem had me somewhat vexed, so I did what I usually did when I can't think: I went for a ride.

Upon my return, I hit upon the solution: build a specific FastFormat-specific library containing only the source file for the SafeFormat part of Loki. If the makefile detects the definition of the LOKI variable, it will attempt to build the lib/loki.safefmt.ff.??? library (where ??? refers to the per-compiler/architecture/mode configuration).

If that library does not exist, it is linked from a corresponding object, which itself is built from a file src/loki.safefmt/loki.safefmt.cpp. If this file does not exist, it is automatically generated. This file contains exactly one (pre-processor) statement:

#include <../src/SafeFormat.cpp>

which includes the requisite file form the Loki source directory.

The reason this is done is to simplify the situation if the Loki source cannot be found. As you will be aware, failing to find a required file in a makefile-build can lead to less-then-clear error messages. By generating the file if it's not there, and by #include-ing the requisite Loki source file (SafeFormat.cpp), it'll be clearer to users if that file is missing, or in the wrong directory. It also seems preferable to distributing a Loki-related source file in the FastFormat distribution, merely to allow for comparative performance testing.

So, whether you use Loki or not, you can build and test FastFormat without needing any dependencies on it. All you need to include Loki.SafeFormat in the tests is to define the LOKI variable, in the same way as if you wish to include Boost.Format in the tests you define the BOOST variable.