[Development] RFF: nullptr rules

Marc Mutz marc.mutz at kdab.com
Wed Dec 9 16:14:00 CET 2015


Hi,

in 5.7, nullptr (Q_C_NULLPTR) is required to be supported by the compiler, but 
there are no guidelines as to its use in the coding conventions (to the extent 
they need to be in there).

I propose the following, based on Thiago's proposal from January this year, 
considering the new situation that we now require nullptr support in the 
compiler:

- 0 as a nullptr constant is banned except in tests testing APIs so
  we don't accidentally require nullptr (ie. all tests should use 0, not
  nullptr, as far as it makes sense)
- clang-modernize is used to convert all uses of the null pointer constant to
  nullptr, incl. examples, excl. tests and 3rdparty
- compilers that have it, will have -Wzero-as-nullptr-constant added during
  headersclean[0]
- APIs that require the use of nullptr for disambiguation are discouraged,
  but may be acceptable to be decided on a case-by-case basis.
- Accidental (ie. non-apidox'ed) reliance on nullptr for disambiguation is
  always an error. To this end, tests should continue to use 0, not nullptr.
- if (!foo) vs. if (foo == nullptr), if (foo) vs. if (foo != nullptr):
  author's prerogative[1]

[0] I'd prefer "when building Qt", but realise that we'll have problems with 
upstream libs
[1] I prefer the short form, but I don't think we'll gain a consensus here, so 
let's not even try

Arguments in favour:
- it's the C++ way of writing the null pointer constant these days
- we need to use it in headers, anyway, to allow people to use -Wzero-as...,
  and it makes no sense to have two sets of rules for headers and impl
- it can disambiguate code and prevent accidents
- in some situations, it makes code easier to understand (: m_foo(nullptr)).

Arguments against:
- it's uglier than "0", and more to type

Let's have comments and additions float in for a week, and then let's have Lars 
decide.

Thanks,
Marc

-- 
Marc Mutz <marc.mutz at kdab.com> | Senior Software Engineer
KDAB (Deutschland) GmbH & Co.KG, a KDAB Group Company
Tel: +49-30-521325470
KDAB - The Qt Experts



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