A metaprogram is built to generate files before the main program is built. We'll term runtime for this program as `gen_time`. The metaprogram's core implementation are within `gen.hpp` and `gen.cpp` in the project directory.
`gen.cpp` \`s `main()` is defined as `gen_main()` which the user will have to define once for their program. There they will dictate everything that should be generated.
**Note: The formatting shown here is not how it will look. For your desired formatting its recommended to run a pass through the files with an auto-formatter.**
## Gen's DSL
If you don't mind a low amount of macros (29 lines), a DSL may be optionally defined with:
The other one in the gen directory within test is the metaprogram's build specification.
Both of them build the same source file: `test.cpp`. The only differences between them is that gen need a different relative path to the include directories and defines the macro definition: `gen_time`.
This method is setup where all the metaprogram's code are the within the same files as the regular program's code.
If in your use case, decide to have exclusive separation or partial separation of the metaprogam's code from the program's code files then your build configuration would need to change to reflect that (specifically the sources).
### Editor is for editing a series of files based on a set of requests provided to it.
* The purpose is to overrite a specific file, it places its contents in a buffer to scan.
* Requests are populated using the following interface:
* add : Add code.
* remove : Remove code.
* replace: Replace code.
All three have the same parameters with exception to remove which only has SymbolInfo and Policy:
* SymbolInfo:
* File : The file the symbol resides in. Leave null to indicate to search all files.
* Marker : #define symbol that indicates a location or following signature is valid to manipulate. Leave null to indicate that the signature should only be used.
* Signature : Use a Code symbol to find a valid location to manipulate, can be further filtered with the marker. Leave null to indicate that the marker should only be used.
* Policy : Additional policy info for completing the request (empty for now)
* Code : Code to inject if adding, or replace existing code with.
Additionally if `GEN_FEATURE_EDITOR_REFACTOR` is defined, refactor( file_path, specification_path ) wil be made available.
Refactor is based of the refactor library and uses its interface.
It will on call add a request to the queue to run the refactor script on the file.
### Scanner allows the user to generate Code ASTs by reading files.
* The purpose is to grab definitions to generate metadata or generate new code from these definitions.
* Requests are populated using the add( SymbolInfo, Policy ) function. The symbol info is the same as the one used for the editor. So is the case with Policy.
The file will only be read from, no writting supported.
One great use case is for example: generating the single-header library for gencpp!
### Additional Info (Editor and Scanner)
When all requests have been populated, call process_requests().
It will provide an output of receipt data of the results when it completes.
Files may be added to the Editor and Scanner additionally with add_files( num, files ).
This is intended for when you have requests that are for multiple files.
Request queue in both Editor and Scanner are cleared once process_requests completes.
## On multi-threading:
Its intended eventually for this library to support multi-threading at some point,
however for now it does not.
The following changes would have to be made:
* Setup static data accesss with fences if more than one thread will generate ASTs
* Make sure local peristent data of functions are also thread local.
* The builder should be done on a per-thread basis.
* Due to the design of the editor and scanner, it will most likely
be best to make each file a job to process request entries on.
Receipts should have an an array to store per thread.
They can be combined to the final reciepts array when all files have been processed.
For now single-threaded should be pretty quick even without heavy optimizations.
## On extending with whatever features you want
This library is relatively very small, and you can easily extend it.
The untyped codes and builder/editor/scanner can be technically be used to circumvent
any sort of constrictions the library has with: modern c++, templates, macros, etc.
Typical use case is for getting define constants an old C/C++ library with the scanner:
Code parse_defines() can emit a custom code AST with Macro_Constant type.
Another would be getting preprocessor or template metaprogramming Codes from Unreal Engine definitions, etc.
Templates also have a heavy cost to compile-times due to their recursive nature of expansion if complex code is getting generated, or if heavy type checking system is used (assertsion require expansion, etc).
Unfortunately most programming langauges opt the approach of internally processing the generated code immediately within the AST or not expose it to the user in a nice way to even introspect as a text file.
Stage metaprogramming doesn't have this problem, since its entire purpose is to create those generated files that the final program will reference instead.
This is technically what the macro preprocessor does in a basic form, however a proper metaprogram for generation is easier to deal with for more complex generation.
The drawback naturally is generation functions, at face value, are harder to grasp than something following a template pattern (for simple generation). This drawback becomes less valid the more complex the code generation becomes.
Thus a rule of thumb is if its a simple definition you can get away with just the preprocessor `#define`, or if the templates being used don't break the debugger or your compile times, this is most likely not needed.
* You enjoy actually *seeing* the generated code instead of just the error symbols or the pdb symbols.
* You value your debugging expereince, and would like to debug your metaprogram, without having to step through the debug version of the compiler (if you even can)
* You want to roll your own runtime reflection system
* You want to maintain a series of libraries for internal use, but don't want to deal with manaual merging as often when they update.
* Want to create tailored headers for your code or for your libraries since you usually don't need the majority of the code within them.
Then this might help you boostrap a toolset todo so.
