Describe Helpers

Public header: #include "brookesia/lib_utils/describe_helpers.hpp"

Overview

describe_helpers uses Boost.Describe and Boost.JSON for object description plus serialization and deserialization, reducing boilerplate for structs, enums, and complex types.

Features

Reflection for enums and struct members
JSON encode/decode for strings, numbers, bools, containers, optionals, etc.
Handles variant, optional, map, vector, and related composites
Debug-friendly description output

API Reference

Header File

utils/brookesia_lib_utils/include/brookesia/lib_utils/describe_helpers.hpp

Classes

class DescribeFormatManager

Singleton that stores the global default DescribeOutputFormat.

Public Functions

inline void set_format(const DescribeOutputFormat &fmt)

Set the process-wide default output format.

Parameters: fmt – New global format.

inline const DescribeOutputFormat &get_format() const

Get the current process-wide default output format.

Returns: Reference to the active global format.

inline void reset_to_default(): Restore the built-in default output format.

Public Static Functions

static inline DescribeFormatManager &instance()

Get the singleton instance.

Returns: Reference to the global format manager.

Macros

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_STRUCT(C, Bases, Members): Register a struct with Boost.Describe reflection.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_ENUM(C, ...): Register an enum with Boost.Describe reflection.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_ENUM_TO_STR(value): Convert a described enum value to a string.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_ENUM_TO_NUM(value): Convert an enum value to its underlying integer value.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_NUM_TO_ENUM(number, ret_value): Convert an integer value to a described enum value.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_STR_TO_ENUM(str, ret_value): Convert an enumerator name to a described enum value.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_TO_JSON(value): Convert a supported value to boost::json::value.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_FROM_JSON(json_value, ret_value): Convert a boost::json::value to a supported C++ value.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_JSON_SERIALIZE(value): Serialize a supported value to JSON text.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_JSON_DESERIALIZE(str, ret_value): Deserialize JSON text into a supported C++ value.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_FORMAT_VERBOSE: Verbose multi-line formatting preset.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_FORMAT_JSON: JSON-like formatting preset.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_FORMAT_COMPACT: Compact single-line formatting preset.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_FORMAT_DEFAULT: Default human-readable formatting preset.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_FORMAT_PYTHON: Python-dict-inspired formatting preset.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_FORMAT_CPP: C++ designated-initializer-inspired formatting preset.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_SET_GLOBAL_FORMAT(fmt): Set the global default string formatting preset.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_GET_GLOBAL_FORMAT(): Get the global default string formatting preset.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_RESET_GLOBAL_FORMAT(): Reset the global default string formatting preset.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_TO_STR(value): Convert a supported value to a string with the global default format.

BROOKESIA_DESCRIBE_TO_STR_WITH_FMT(value, fmt): Convert a supported value to a string with an explicit format preset.