Daniel Russel wrote:
I have various helper functions that are probably generally useful. I am ambivalent about what to do with them.
...
bool set_string(... const String& get_string(...
...
Should such things go in to imp proper? On one hand they are extremely useful. On the other it is increasing the size of the interface and while it makes it more convenient, it doesn't add any power.
My vote is no, for the same reasons. Plus, it seems like a conceptual division between add/remove of the attributes themselves and get/set of the values is a good thing to have, and these helper functions would erode that. Can't you structure your code so that you don't create the necessary attributes at the first step, and so don't need to do this query every time?
Next I have some helpers for manipulating hierarchy and bond particles (getting the number of children, getting specific children etc). These should go somewhere to establish norms for hierarchies.
I don't think we've agreed on how hierarchy should be handled yet. Could you put an outline of your suggestion into the wiki? Then Keren and I can tweak it and add our own ideas. I certainly have reservations right now with how I imagine you think hierarchy should be handled (guessing from looking at your attribute names wiki page).
Ben
--
http://salilab.org/~ben/
"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data."
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle