Boost C++ Libraries

Boost.FunctionTypes uses tag types to encode properties that are not types per se, such as calling convention or whether a function is variadic or cv- qualified.

These tags can be used to determine whether one property of a type has a particular value.

is_function<int(...), variadic>::value // == true
is_function<int()   , variadic>::value // == false

A compound property tag describes a combination of possible values of different properties. The type components<F>, where F is a callable builtin type, is a compound property tag that describes F. The tag class template can be used to combine property tags.

tag<non_const,default_cc> // combination of two properties

When several values for the same property are specified in tag's argument list, only the rightmost one is used; others are ignored.

tag<components<F>, default_cc> // overrides F's calling convention property

When compound property tag is specified to analyse a type, all of its component properties must match.

is_member_function_pointer< F, tag<const_qualified,default_cc> >::value
// true for 
//   F = void(a_class::*)() const
// false for
//   F = void(a_class::*)()
//   F = void(__fastcall a_class::*)() const

Default values are selected for properties not specified by the tag in the context of type synthesis.

// given S = mpl::vector<int,a_class const &>

member_function_pointer<S>::type // is int (a_class::*)() const
// note: the cv-qualification is picked based on the class type,
// a nonvariadic signature and the default calling convention 
// are used

member_function_pointer<S,non_const>::type // is int (a_class::*)()
// no const qualification, as explicitly specified by the tag type