# Boost C++ Libraries

...one of the most highly regarded and expertly designed C++ library projects in the world. — Herb Sutter and Andrei Alexandrescu, C++ Coding Standards

# Status of C++0x char16_t/char32_t support

The support of C++0x `char16_t` and `char32_t` is experimental, mostly does not work and not intended to be used in production with current latest compilers: GCC-4.5, MSVC10 till major compiler's flaws would be fixed.

## GNU GCC 4.5/C++0x Status

GNU C++ compiler provides decent support of C++0x characters however:

1. Standard library does not install any std::locale::facets for this support so any attempt to format numbers using `char16_t` or `char32_t` streams would just fail.
2. Standard library misses specialization for required `char16_t/char32_t` locale facets, so "std" backends is not build-able as essential symbols missing, also `codecvt` facet can't be created as well.

## Visual Studio 2010 (MSVC10)/C++0x Status

MSVC provides all required facets however:

1. Standard library does not provide installations of std::locale::id for these facets in DLL so it is not usable with `/MD`, `/MDd` compiler flags and requires static link of the runtime library.
2. `char16_t` and `char32_t` are not distinct types but rather aliases of unsigned short and unsigned types which contradicts to C++0x requirements making it impossible to write `char16_t/char32_t` to stream and causing multiple faults.