C++Now 2014

Configuration frameworks have been around a long time, ranging from the classic .INI file to Boost Property Tree and many many others, but one of the problems in C++ implementations has been how to store and return different types while keeping a sane interface.

The configuration framework presented in this talk features a client-facing front end that can return any copyable C++ object based on a string key. The back end stores the data in memory, a file, a database, or any other storage mechanism, of which the client and front end are blissfully unaware. A glue layer connects the front and back ends and remains ignorant of the nature of the data being passed around. The magic is a combination of boost:any and objects and it's all done in C++03. This presentation will show the framework's objectives, design, and usage, emphasizing the practicalities of using type erasure and boost::any. If time permits, a simple back-end storage object will be developed and added to the framework.

The code for this framework was originally developed for a US Government project and is in the public domain courtesy of the US taxpayers.