To me the biggest advantage of transitioning to a C++ compiler is the
availability of std::string and std::list, std::set, std::map. They are so much
more convinient to use than equivalents from the glib or the alternatives
designed for Wireshark. Since the C++ STL classes allow a custom allocator we
can write C++ allocators for our ep_ and se_ (or the new wmem_) paradigms and
typedef Wireshark versions of the STL objects with these allocators. This would
be my biggest immediate benefit.
I don't advocate to redesign Wireshark into a C++ object/inheritance hell at
once, although with those "features" available new developments can/might/will
use them and over time we may have better code.
Since the QT version is already using C++, I guess that simply building current
Wireshark with a C++ compiler is a no brainer. If we agree that this route is
worthwhile we could simply start building with C++ and develop some guidelines
how to proceed with new code, restructuring old code and maintaining/bugfixing
old code.
The only caveat I can think of: if we build libdissectors with a C++ compiler
that might force other users of that library to switch to C++ as well (name
mangling etc).
--
---> Dirk Jagdmann
----> http://cubic.org/~doj
-----> http://llg.cubic.org