future of arc_unpacker

[0xh3LL0]

microsoft replace cmd with powershell in latest version of windows, and probably will completely remove it... http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsoft-replaces-command-prompt-with-powershell-in-latest-windows-10-build-510328.shtml

what should we (user of arc_unpacker and your self) do? should we stick with current/earlier version of windows? or make a GUI, probably?

[mrsshr]

powershell can execute any CLI programs with arguments.

[rr-]

What @mrsshr says.

Think of Powershell as of "better cmd". For arc_unpacker this means only that I'll need to update README.md with instructions how to use Powershell instead of cmd.

Since you're asking about the future of the project, the basic road map is:

• C++17 comes out and becomes widely supported in clang and gcc (2017)
• MXE becomes compatible with C++17 (probably using a plugin similar to the current gcc6 plugin)
• arc_unpacker says no to Microsoft Visual Studio and drops stupid hacks such as addition of BOM to files containing UTF-8 (users are by then encouraged to use clang instead)
• arc_unpacker switches to short namespaces
• arc_unpacker ditches last pieces of boost in favor of std::filesystem

• I consider adding minimal GUI (mid-late 2017 or early 2018)

  If this happens:

  • argument parser is refactored/rewritten
  • small Qt app is created
  • decoders become able to ask GUI and TUI for user input with consistent interface

  Note that this requires a lot of thought, because you need to handle things such as recursive decoders, each of which can ask for its own set of parameters, etc.

• C++2x comes out; C++ modules are introduced (they better be)
• arc_unpacker is refactored to use C++ modules