Improving Code for Path Joining Without C++17 Features

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Question:

Can you improve the following code: out_vrt_file = mylib::join_path(mylib::strprintf("/tmp"), mylib::strprintf("%s.vrt", uuid_name.c_str())); without using c++ 17

Answer:

Certainly! If you want to improve the code without using C++17 features, you can focus on making the code more readable and efficient. Here’s a version that avoids unnecessary calls to strprintf and uses standard C++ features:

#include <string>
#include <sstream>

// Assuming mylib::join_path is a function that joins two paths
namespace mylib {
    std::string join_path(const std::string& path1, const std::string& path2) {
        // Simple implementation of join_path
        if (path1.empty()) return path2;
        if (path2.empty()) return path1;
        if (path1.back() == '/' || path1.back() == '\\') {
            return path1 + path2;
        } else {
            return path1 + "/" + path2;
        }
    }
}

std::string uuid_name = "example_uuid"; // Example UUID name

// Improved code
std::ostringstream oss;
oss << "/tmp/" << uuid_name << ".vrt";
std::string out_vrt_file = oss.str();

// Alternatively, using mylib::join_path
std::string out_vrt_file = mylib::join_path("/tmp", uuid_name + ".vrt");

Explanation:

  1. Using std::ostringstream: This approach constructs the string in a single step, which is more efficient and readable.
  2. Simplifying join_path: If you still need to use mylib::join_path, you can directly concatenate the strings without needing strprintf.

This code is more straightforward and avoids the overhead of multiple function calls.