StringToken

A string token is an rvalue passed to a function template which customizes the return type of the function and also controls how a modifiable character buffer is obtained and presented. The string token's lifetime extends only for the duration of the function call in which it appears as a parameter. A string token cannot be copied, moved, or assigned, and must be destroyed when the function returns or throws.

Requirements

In this table:

T is a type meeting the requirements of StringToken
t is an rvalue reference of type T
n is a value of type std::size_t

Table 1.12. Valid expressions

Expression	Result	Semantics, Pre/Post-conditions
std::derived_from<T,string_token::arg>	true	All string tokens must be publicly and unambiguously derived from `string_token::arg`.
T::result_type		This type determines the return type of functions which accept a string token.
t.prepare(n);	char*	This function overrides the virtual function in the base. It must return a pointer to a character buffer of at least size `n`, otherwise throw an exception.
t.result();	T::result_type	This function is invoked by the algorithm to receive the result from the string token. It is only invoked if `prepare` returned successfuly and the string token was not destroyed.

Algorithm Requirements

When an algorithm accepts a string token, it must meet these requirements:

prepare is called only once or not at all,
result is only called after prepare returns successfully, and
The string token is destroyed when the algorithm completes or if an exception is thrown.

String tokens cannot be reused.

Exemplars

String token prototype:

struct StringToken : string_token::arg
{
    using result_type = std::string;

    char* prepare( std::size_t n ) override;

    result_type result();
};

Algorithm prototype:

namespace detail {

// Algorithm implementation may be placed
// out of line, and written as an ordinary
// function (no template required).

void algorithm_impl( string_token::arg& token )
{
    std::size_t n = 0;

    // calculate space needed in `n`

    // acquire a destination buffer
    char* dest = token.prepare( n );

    // write the characters to the buffer
}

} // detail

// public interface is a function template,
// defaulting to return `std::string`.

template< class StringToken = string_token::return_string >
auto
algorithm( StringToken&& token = {} ) ->
    typename StringToken::result_type
{
    // invoke the algorithm with the token
    algorithm_impl( token );

    // return the result from the token
    return token.result();
}

Models