Why not Embedded C++?

How embedded C++ differ from ISO C++?

Embedded C++(EC++) language is a subset of ISO C++ and a program written in EC++ can be compiled with any ISO C++ compiler. EC++ is formed by omitting following features of ISO C++.

1. Multiple Inheritance
2. Virtual base classes
3. Run Time Type Information
4. New style casts
5. The mutable type qualifier
6. Namespaces
7. Exceptions
8. Templates

Now let’s have a look on the facts of omitting these usages.


1. Multiple Inheritance

The reason to avoid multiple inheritance is quite simple. It is complex and not easy for even an expert programmer to design a class using multiple inheritance. But there are many superb interface hierarchies which we can form using multiple inheritance. The right way to avoid complexity is by setting rules instead of taking a feature out. By allowing and disallowing different hierarchies through a guideline is perfectly enough to avoid the confusions due to multiple inheritance.

2. Virtual base classes

If there is no multiple inheritance why would we need a virtual base class? Or else to avoid virtual base classes we have to omit multiple inheritance J.

3. Run Time Type Information

Run Time Type information can cause program size overhead because type information of the polymorphic classes is needed. It will only be advantageous for a program which is heavily polymorphic and it adds no merit to a program which is not much polymorphic. But every compiler including gcc has a compiler flag to either enable or disable RTTI. Any novice programmer can set it to off and now what is the need for such a omitting instead of a guide line not to use RTTI?

4. New style casts

Since EC++ omits RTTI the dynamic cast wont work. Even though EC++ don’t support new style casts static_cast will be valid. These alerting are either useless or artifact of disabling the RTTI.

5. The mutable type qualifier

It could rather be a guideline not to use mutable if the object is made as const than taking out such a feature. One of the best examples to understand the advantage of guidelines is to see there are hardly any goto statements in the programs even made by novices. The omitting of mutable also adds no advantage to a language for embedded system.

6. Namespaces

This is one of the weirdest omitting from the C++ language. The reason to omit namespaces is pretty simple because it is “EC++ committee thinks it is not essential to have namespaces”.

7. Exceptions

There are 2 major reasons to avoid exception handling in EC++.

1. It is difficult to estimate the time between when an exception has occurred and control has passed to a corresponding exception handler.
2. It is difficult to estimate memory consumption for exception handling.

Even in a real time environment what is the big deal in time between exception has occurred and caught? Even though there is unpredictability in throughput of exception handling it is always better not to crash your program or writing your own exception handling mechanisms. And still if exception handling need not be done in a program or at an environment it must be a guideline rather than freezing a feature of language.


8. Templates

The disadvantages of template are that it can introduce code bloat and the increase in program size. But templates make the development and code maintainability far better. Even template specialization or limiting to necessary types can be done for every class to avoid code bloat. To avoid careless usage of templates the proper method is never to take it out of the way.

Conclusion

It is always better to make guidelines rather than making a new language with subset of an existing one. To see the Stroustrup’s comments on embedded c++ can be found at Stroustrup's FAQ.