[MOAB-dev] Discussion on return type of MOAB routines

[Tim Tautges (ANL)]

On 01/22/2014 01:21 PM, Jed Brown wrote:
> "Tim Tautges (ANL)" <tautges at mcs.anl.gov> writes:
>> This depends on how often it happens.  In all cases, IMO, a success condition should result in nothing more than a
>> POD-sized object (and I should add, no virtual table).
>
> vtables are just pointers like any other in terms of performance.
>

Sure but we still don't want that extra expense.

>> If it's a non-success condition that is "expected" (normal condition
>> that's handled by the calling code), IMO this shouldn't print anything
>> by default.  If it's a non-success that's also unexpected, printing is
>> fine (including stack trace).
>
> I don't believe in expected failures.  I find keeping expected and error
> conditions in-band leads to confusing control flow, but YMMV.
>

It's entirely dependent on the application, same API call, same return, different handling, and in some cases the 
application is a tool inside the library.

- tim

-- 
================================================================
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is
   steadfast, because he trusts in you."               Isaiah 26:3

              Tim Tautges            Argonne National Laboratory
          (tautges at mcs.anl.gov)      (telecommuting from UW-Madison)
  phone (gvoice): (608) 354-1459      1500 Engineering Dr.
             fax: (608) 263-4499      Madison, WI 53706