aurora-community / nytl

Modern C++ generic header-only template library.

nytl

A lightweight and generic header-only template library for C++17. Includes various utility of all kind that i needed across multiple projects:

• Extremely lightweight vector and matrix templates
  • Basically just std::array with mathematical vector/matrix semantics
  • Additionally various useful operations (mat | vec)
• Simple utf conversion and utf8 parsing helpers: nytl/utf.hpp
• A Callback implementation for high-level and fast function callbacks.
  • Also a more functional RecursiveCallback
• Easily make virtual classes cloneable: nytl/clone.hpp
• Pseudo-RAII handling with scope guards: nytl/scope.hpp
• Lightweight and independent span template: nytl/span.hpp
• Combining c++ class enums into flags: nytl/flags.hpp

All headers were written as modular, independent and generic as possible. Most utilities can be used indenpendently from each other. The only required dependency is a compiler supporting full C++17 and its stl (this means no suppport for msvc at the moment). All files are licensed under the Boost License.

Contributing

Contributions to library, tests, documentation, examples as well as all suggestions and ideas are always appreciated. Just start a pull request or an issue on github.

Using nytl

There are multiple ways to use nytl. Either install all of its headers on your system and make sure the install path can be found by the compiler. If you need just a few header files (or even just a few functions), just copy those files into your project folder. It can also be used as meson subproject.

Remember that nytl requires a solid C++17 compiler, only recent versions of gcc and clang are tested. Below some basic code examples for (only a) few nytl features to give you an idea.

nytl::Callback and nytl::RecursiveCallback

Callbacks mirror the signal/slot principle in modern c++ with many useful features. For the full documentation, see nytl/callback.hpp. If you want to modify (call/register/disconnect) the callback from within a handler, see nytl/recursiveCallback.hpp.

// Example callback
auto onEvent = nytl::RecursiveCallback<void()> {};

// Adds a callback listener
auto connection = onEvent.add([]{ std::cout << "called\n"; });
connection.disconnect(); // unregisters the listener

onEvent = &foo; // sets foo as only listener
onEvent += []{}; // same as onEvent.add

// listener functions can also take an additional Connection argument that
// allows them to unregister themself from within the listener
onEvent += [&](nytl::Connection selfConnection) {
	selfConnection.disconnect(); // will unregister itself on first call
	onEvent += &bar; // one can also add new listeners from inside a listener
};

onEvent(); // calls all registered listener functions
onEvent.call(); // can also be done more explicit

nytl::ScopeGuard

ScopeGuards are another utility concept implemented by nytl. The mirror finally syntax from other languages and allow safe RAII-like handling of non-RAII resources. For the full documentation, see nytl/scope.hpp.

// open a file descriptor we want to close later on
auto fd = ::open("test.txt");

// create a scope guard that will execute the passed functions as soon
// as this scope is left, no matter in which way. Makes closing the fd
// exception safe and also more maintainable since early returns can be
// added without having to care about the fd.
auto fdGuard = nytl::ScopeGuard([&]{ ::close(fd); })

// there are also classes that only execute the passed functions if the
// scope was left normally or due to an exception
auto successGuard = nytl::SuccessGuard([&]{ std::cout << "scope left normally\n"; });
auto exceptionGuard = nytl::ExceptionGuard([&]{ std::cout << "exception thrown\n"; });