How much of C++ is supported in Objective-C++

Question

I want to make an iPhone app, but I am planning to make the framework in C++. Is it possible to use things like templates in Objective-C++. I guess really the question is, can I use boost?

Answer 1

Is it possible to use things like templates in Objective-C++.

Yes, but you need to take care how you mix types and interfaces between the pure C++ layers and the Objective-C++ code. Keep in mind the boundaries between layers, where you would need to convert types such as std::string to NSString, and so on.

For example, you could implement the core game engine in pure C++, and just implement your controllers and GUI code in Objective-C++. Then the Obj-C++ code is the glue between the pure C++ engine and Cocoa.

I guess really the question is, can I use boost?

Given the iPhone OS is a subset of OS X that still provides a full POSIX layer, most Boost libraries should work just fine. It should be just like writing Darwin code.

There are a number of limitations in Objective-C++ to be aware of (taken directly from the Objective-C 2.0 Reference Guide):

• you cannot use Objective-C syntax to call a C++ object
• you cannot add constructors or destructors to an Objective-C object
• you cannot use the keywords this and self interchangeably
• the class hierarchies are separate; a C++ class cannot inherit from an Objective-C class, and an Objective-C class cannot inherit from a C++ class
• an exception thrown in Objective-C code cannot be caught in C++ code and, conversely, an exception thrown in C++ code cannot be caught in Objective-C code.

Answer 2

All of C++ is supported in Objective C++. It should be possible to use boost, but you might have to port some of the platform dependant things.