Background
Using boost and other similar libraries is the easiest way to find compiler shortcomings, but is there a stage at which things go too far?
This mangled symbol:
_ZTSN5boost6spirit2qi6detail13parser_binderINS1_11alternativeINS_6fusion4consINS1_8sequenceINS6_INS1_16lexeme_directiveINS7_INS6_INS1_6actionINS1_9referenceIKNS1_4ruleIN9__gnu_cxx17__normal_iteratorIPKcSsEEFN7xxxxxxx2ir8carry_op2OpEvENS5_11unused_typeESM_EEEENS_7phoenix5actorINSQ_9compositeINSQ_11assign_evalENS5_6vectorINS0_14local_variableILi0EEENS0_8argumentILi0EEENS5_5void_ESZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_EEEEEEEENS6_INS1_10char_classINS0_3tag9char_codeINS15_5spaceENS0_13char_encoding5asciiEEEEENS5_3nilEEEEEEEEENS6_INS9_INS7_INS6_INSA_IKNSB_ISG_FSbIwSt11char_traitsIwESaIwEEvENSH_6parser11white_spaceISG_EESM_EEEENS6_INS1_12literal_charINS18_8standardELb1ELb0EEENS6_IS1R_NS6_IS1U_NS6_IS1R_NS6_IS1U_NS6_IS1R_NS6_IS1U_NS6_IS1R_S1C_EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENSR_INSS_IST_NSU_INS0_9attributeILi0EEENSS_INSQ_6detail14construct_evalISJ_EENSU_ISW_SY_NSX_ILi1EEENSX_ILi2EEENSX_ILi3EEENSX_ILi4EEESZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_EEEESZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_EEEEEEEES1C_EEEEEENS6_INS7_INS6_IS1G_NS6_INS9_INS7_INS6_IS1R_NS6_IS1U_NS6_IS1R_NS6_IS1U_NS6_IS1R_NS6_IS1U_NS6_IS1U_S1W_EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENSR_INSS_IST_NSU_IS26_NSS_IS29_NSU_ISW_SY_S2A_S2B_NSQ_5valueINS_8optionalIS1K_EEEES2C_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_EEEESZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_EEEEEEEES1C_EEEEEENS6_INS7_INS6_IS1G_NS6_INS9_INS7_IS21_EENSR_INSS_IST_NSU_IS26_NSS_IS29_NSU_ISW_SY_S2A_S2B_S2C_S2Y_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_EEEESZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_SZ_EEEEEEEES1C_EEEEEES1C_EEEEEEEEN4mpl_5bool_ILb0EEEEE
(1,388 characters)
Translates into (thanks c++filt!):
boost::spirit::qi::detail::parser_binder<boost::spirit::qi::alternative<boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::sequence<boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::lexeme_directive<boost::spirit::qi::sequence<boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::action<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, xxxxxxx::ir::carry_op::Op ()(), boost::fusion::unused_type, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::phoenix::actor<boost::phoenix::composite<boost::phoenix::assign_eval, boost::fusion::vector<boost::spirit::local_variable<0>, boost::spirit::argument<0>, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_> > > >, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::char_class<boost::spirit::tag::char_code<boost::spirit::tag::space, boost::spirit::char_encoding::ascii> >, boost::fusion::nil> > > >, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::action<boost::spirit::qi::sequence<boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::nil> > > > > > > > > >, boost::phoenix::actor<boost::phoenix::composite<boost::phoenix::assign_eval, boost::fusion::vector<boost::spirit::attribute<0>, boost::phoenix::composite<boost::phoenix::detail::construct_eval<xxxxxxx::ir::carry_op>, boost::fusion::vector<boost::spirit::local_variable<0>, boost::spirit::argument<0>, boost::spirit::argument<1>, boost::spirit::argument<2>, boost::spirit::argument<3>, boost::spirit::argument<4>, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_> >, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_> > > >, boost::fusion::nil> > >, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::sequence<boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::lexeme_directive<boost::spirit::qi::sequence<boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::action<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, xxxxxxx::ir::carry_op::Op ()(), boost::fusion::unused_type, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::phoenix::actor<boost::phoenix::composite<boost::phoenix::assign_eval, boost::fusion::vector<boost::spirit::local_variable<0>, boost::spirit::argument<0>, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_> > > >, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::char_class<boost::spirit::tag::char_code<boost::spirit::tag::space, boost::spirit::char_encoding::ascii> >, boost::fusion::nil> > > >, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::action<boost::spirit::qi::sequence<boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::nil> > > > > > > > > >, boost::phoenix::actor<boost::phoenix::composite<boost::phoenix::assign_eval, boost::fusion::vector<boost::spirit::attribute<0>, boost::phoenix::composite<boost::phoenix::detail::construct_eval<xxxxxxx::ir::carry_op>, boost::fusion::vector<boost::spirit::local_variable<0>, boost::spirit::argument<0>, boost::spirit::argument<1>, boost::spirit::argument<2>, boost::phoenix::value<boost::optional<std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > > >, boost::spirit::argument<3>, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_> >, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_> > > >, boost::fusion::nil> > >, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::sequence<boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::lexeme_directive<boost::spirit::qi::sequence<boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::action<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, xxxxxxx::ir::carry_op::Op ()(), boost::fusion::unused_type, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::phoenix::actor<boost::phoenix::composite<boost::phoenix::assign_eval, boost::fusion::vector<boost::spirit::local_variable<0>, boost::spirit::argument<0>, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_> > > >, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::char_class<boost::spirit::tag::char_code<boost::spirit::tag::space, boost::spirit::char_encoding::ascii> >, boost::fusion::nil> > > >, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::action<boost::spirit::qi::sequence<boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::literal_char<boost::spirit::char_encoding::standard, true, false>, boost::fusion::cons<boost::spirit::qi::reference<boost::spirit::qi::rule<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > ()(), xxxxxxx::parser::white_space<__gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<char const*, std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > >, boost::fusion::unused_type> const>, boost::fusion::nil> > > > > > > >, boost::phoenix::actor<boost::phoenix::composite<boost::phoenix::assign_eval, boost::fusion::vector<boost::spirit::attribute<0>, boost::phoenix::composite<boost::phoenix::detail::construct_eval<xxxxxxx::ir::carry_op>, boost::fusion::vector<boost::spirit::local_variable<0>, boost::spirit::argument<0>, boost::spirit::argument<1>, boost::spirit::argument<2>, boost::spirit::argument<3>, boost::phoenix::value<boost::optional<std::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> > > >, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_> >, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_, boost::fusion::void_> > > >, boost::fusion::nil> > >, boost::fusion::nil> > > >, mpl_::bool_<false> >
(12,980 characters)
Question
So my question is, in light of these (which technically don’t pass the standard as I understand it, as the mangled name is over 1,024 characters), is this a sign that C++ is showing its age by not keeping up-to-date with the newest concepts? Or is it simply a sign that programmers are expecting too much from the language, and template libraries like boost are doing the best they can to facilitate this?
Wouldn’t the language be showing its age if people did not apply it to new, bigger problems than originally intended?
I think this is exactly the opposite — it shows that C++ is able to do something far more complex than was intended in the earliest versions of the language. How is that “showing its age”? C++ would be showing its age if it was still being used in the half-baked Java-like OOP style popular 15 years ago.
I think the fact that the usage of the language continues to evolve so much, even when the actual standard is unchanged, is a sign of strength.
Of course, C++ is showing its age in countless other ways, but I don’t think this is one of them. On the contrary, this is one of C++’s redeeming features.