Boost C++ Libraries

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assert.hpp

BOOST_ASSERT
BOOST_ASSERT_MSG
BOOST_VERIFY
BOOST_VERIFY_MSG
BOOST_ASSERT_IS_VOID

BOOST_ASSERT

The header <boost/assert.hpp> defines the macro BOOST_ASSERT, which is similar to the standard assert macro defined in <cassert>. The macro is intended to be used in both Boost libraries and user code.

• By default, BOOST_ASSERT(expr) expands to assert(expr).

• If the macro BOOST_DISABLE_ASSERTS is defined when <boost/assert.hpp> is included, BOOST_ASSERT(expr) expands to ((void)0), regardless of whether the macro NDEBUG is defined. This allows users to selectively disable BOOST_ASSERT without affecting the definition of the standard assert.

• If the macro BOOST_ENABLE_ASSERT_HANDLER is defined when <boost/assert.hpp> is included, BOOST_ASSERT(expr) expands to

(BOOST_LIKELY(!!(expr))? ((void)0): ::boost::assertion_failed(#expr, BOOST_CURRENT_FUNCTION, __FILE__, __LINE__))

That is, it evaluates expr and if it's false, calls ::boost::assertion_failed(#expr, BOOST_CURRENT_FUNCTION, __FILE__, __LINE__). This is true regardless of whether NDEBUG is defined.

boost::assertion_failed is declared in <boost/assert.hpp> as

namespace boost
{
  void assertion_failed(char const * expr, char const * function, char const * file, long line);
}

but it is never defined. The user is expected to supply an appropriate definition.

• If the macro BOOST_ENABLE_ASSERT_DEBUG_HANDLER is defined when <boost/assert.hpp> is included, BOOST_ASSERT(expr) expands to ((void)0) when NDEBUG is defined. Otherwise the behavior is as if BOOST_ENABLE_ASSERT_HANDLER has been defined.

As is the case with <cassert>, <boost/assert.hpp> can be included multiple times in a single translation unit. BOOST_ASSERT will be redefined each time as specified above.

BOOST_ASSERT_MSG

The macro BOOST_ASSERT_MSG is similar to BOOST_ASSERT, but it takes an additional argument, a character literal, supplying an error message.

• By default, BOOST_ASSERT_MSG(expr,msg) expands to assert((expr)&&(msg)).

• If the macro BOOST_DISABLE_ASSERTS is defined when <boost/assert.hpp> is included, BOOST_ASSERT_MSG(expr,msg) expands to ((void)0), regardless of whether the macro NDEBUG is defined.

• If the macro BOOST_ENABLE_ASSERT_HANDLER is defined when <boost/assert.hpp> is included, BOOST_ASSERT_MSG(expr,msg) expands to

(BOOST_LIKELY(!!(expr))? ((void)0): ::boost::assertion_failed_msg(#expr, msg, BOOST_CURRENT_FUNCTION, __FILE__, __LINE__))

This is true regardless of whether NDEBUG is defined.

boost::assertion_failed_msg is declared in <boost/assert.hpp> as

namespace boost
{
  void assertion_failed_msg(char const * expr, char const * msg, char const * function, char const * file, long line);
}

but it is never defined. The user is expected to supply an appropriate definition.

• If the macro BOOST_ENABLE_ASSERT_DEBUG_HANDLER is defined when <boost/assert.hpp> is included, BOOST_ASSERT_MSG(expr) expands to ((void)0) when NDEBUG is defined. Otherwise the behavior is as if BOOST_ENABLE_ASSERT_HANDLER has been defined.

As is the case with <cassert>, <boost/assert.hpp> can be included multiple times in a single translation unit. BOOST_ASSERT_MSG will be redefined each time as specified above.

BOOST_VERIFY

The macro BOOST_VERIFY has the same behavior as BOOST_ASSERT, except that the expression that is passed to BOOST_VERIFY is always evaluated. This is useful when the asserted expression has desirable side effects; it can also help suppress warnings about unused variables when the only use of the variable is inside an assertion.

• If the macro BOOST_DISABLE_ASSERTS is defined when <boost/assert.hpp> is included, BOOST_VERIFY(expr) expands to ((void)(expr)).

• If the macro BOOST_ENABLE_ASSERT_HANDLER is defined when <boost/assert.hpp> is included, BOOST_VERIFY(expr) expands to BOOST_ASSERT(expr).

• Otherwise, BOOST_VERIFY(expr) expands to ((void)(expr)) when NDEBUG is defined, to BOOST_ASSERT(expr) when it's not.

BOOST_VERIFY_MSG

The macro BOOST_VERIFY_MSG is similar to BOOST_VERIFY, with an additional parameter, an error message.

• If the macro BOOST_DISABLE_ASSERTS is defined when <boost/assert.hpp> is included, BOOST_VERIFY_MSG(expr,msg) expands to ((void)(expr)).

• If the macro BOOST_ENABLE_ASSERT_HANDLER is defined when <boost/assert.hpp> is included, BOOST_VERIFY_MSG(expr,msg) expands to BOOST_ASSERT_MSG(expr,msg).

• Otherwise, BOOST_VERIFY_MSG(expr,msg) expands to ((void)(expr)) when NDEBUG is defined, to BOOST_ASSERT_MSG(expr,msg) when it's not.


BOOST_ASSERT_IS_VOID

The macro BOOST_ASSERT_IS_VOID is defined when BOOST_ASSERT and BOOST_ASSERT_MSG, are expanded to ((void)0). This macro is useful to avoid compiling and potentially running code that is only intended to prepare data to be used in the assertion.

void MyContainer::erase(iterator i)
{
  //Some sanity checks, data must be ordered
  #ifndef BOOST_ASSERT_IS_VOID
     if(i != c.begin()){
        iterator prev = i;
        --prev;
        BOOST_ASSERT(*prev < *i);
     }
     else if(i != c.end()){
        iterator next = i;
        ++next;
        BOOST_ASSERT(*i < *next);
     }
  #endif
  this->erase_impl(i);
}

• By default, BOOST_ASSERT_IS_VOID is defined if NDEBUG is defined.

• If the macro BOOST_DISABLE_ASSERTS is defined BOOST_ASSERT_IS_VOID is always defined.

• If the macro BOOST_ENABLE_ASSERT_HANDLER is defined BOOST_ASSERT_IS_VOID is never defined.

• If the macro BOOST_ENABLE_ASSERT_DEBUG_HANDLER, then BOOST_ASSERT_IS_VOID is defined when NDEBUG is defined.


Copyright © 2002, 2007, 2014 by Peter Dimov.  Copyright © 2011 by Beman Dawes.  Copyright © 2015 by Ion Gaztanaga. Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt.