[C++17] Add Traits class for Tables and Factory function within it. (#5678)

* Include flattests_cpp17 in unit tests when C++17 build is enabled.

* [C++17] Generate generic table factory function.

1. For each table, generate a convenient free-standing factory
   function that allows creating the table in a generic way by
   specifying only the type.  This is the first change in a series
   of changes to make Flatbuffers generated C++ code more friendly
   to code bases that make use of C++ template metaprogramming
   techniques to manage the serialization process.  Example:

     Before :(

       // The name of the Flatbuffers type (and namespace) must
       // be hard-coded when writing the factory function.
       auto monster = MyGame::Example::CreateMonster(fbb, ...);

     After  :)

       using type_to_create = MyGame::Example::Monster;
       // No namespace needed on CreateByTagType.
       auto monster = CreateByTagType((type_to_create*)nullptr,
                                      fbb, ...);

   This feature requires building with C++14 or greater, and thus
   it is guarded behind --cpp-std >= c++17 in the flatbuffers C++
   generator.

2. Fix a CMake bug to include C++17 unit tests in test suite.

* [C++17] Replace standalone variadic factory function with type_traits.

Add a `type_traits` to each table class.  This `type_traits` can be
populated with various compile-time info about the table.  Initially,
we have the Create* function and type, but is extensible in the future.

* Remove empty line and fix stale comments.

* Rename type_traits to Traits and move fwd declaration.

* Fix parameter evaluation order issue and use lambda for scope.

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -530,6 +530,9 @@ if(FLATBUFFERS_BUILD_TESTS)
   file(COPY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests" DESTINATION
        "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}")
   add_test(NAME flattests COMMAND flattests)
+  if(FLATBUFFERS_BUILD_CPP17)
+    add_test(NAME flattests_cpp17 COMMAND flattests_cpp17)
+  endif()
   if(FLATBUFFERS_BUILD_GRPCTEST)
     add_test(NAME grpctest COMMAND grpctest)
   endif()

src/idl_gen_cpp.cpp

@@ -1837,6 +1837,9 @@ class CppGenerator : public BaseGenerator {
       code_ += "  typedef {{NATIVE_NAME}} NativeTableType;";
     }
     code_ += "  typedef {{STRUCT_NAME}}Builder Builder;";
+    if (opts_.g_cpp_std >= cpp::CPP_STD_17) {
+      code_ += "  struct Traits;";
+    }
     if (opts_.mini_reflect != IDLOptions::kNone) {
       code_ +=
           "  static const flatbuffers::TypeTable *MiniReflectTypeTable() {";
@@ -2198,6 +2201,16 @@ class CppGenerator : public BaseGenerator {
     code_ += "}";
     code_ += "";
 
+    // Definition for type traits for this table type. This allows querying var-
+    // ious compile-time traits of the table.
+    if (opts_.g_cpp_std >= cpp::CPP_STD_17) {
+      code_ += "struct {{STRUCT_NAME}}::Traits {";
+      code_ += "  using type = {{STRUCT_NAME}};";
+      code_ += "  static auto constexpr Create = Create{{STRUCT_NAME}};";
+      code_ += "};";
+      code_ += "";
+    }
+
     // Generate a CreateXDirect function with vector types as parameters
     if (has_string_or_vector_fields) {
       code_ +=

tests/cpp17/generated_cpp17/monster_test_generated.h

@@ -621,6 +621,7 @@ struct InParentNamespaceT : public flatbuffers::NativeTable {
 struct InParentNamespace FLATBUFFERS_FINAL_CLASS : private flatbuffers::Table {
   typedef InParentNamespaceT NativeTableType;
   typedef InParentNamespaceBuilder Builder;
+  struct Traits;
   static const flatbuffers::TypeTable *MiniReflectTypeTable() {
     return InParentNamespaceTypeTable();
   }
@@ -655,6 +656,11 @@ inline flatbuffers::Offset<InParentNamespace> CreateInParentNamespace(
   return builder_.Finish();
 }
 
+struct InParentNamespace::Traits {
+  using type = InParentNamespace;
+  static auto constexpr Create = CreateInParentNamespace;
+};
+
 flatbuffers::Offset<InParentNamespace> CreateInParentNamespace(flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder &_fbb, const InParentNamespaceT *_o, const flatbuffers::rehasher_function_t *_rehasher = nullptr);
 
 namespace Example2 {
@@ -668,6 +674,7 @@ struct MonsterT : public flatbuffers::NativeTable {
 struct Monster FLATBUFFERS_FINAL_CLASS : private flatbuffers::Table {
   typedef MonsterT NativeTableType;
   typedef MonsterBuilder Builder;
+  struct Traits;
   static const flatbuffers::TypeTable *MiniReflectTypeTable() {
     return MonsterTypeTable();
   }
@@ -702,6 +709,11 @@ inline flatbuffers::Offset<Monster> CreateMonster(
   return builder_.Finish();
 }
 
+struct Monster::Traits {
+  using type = Monster;
+  static auto constexpr Create = CreateMonster;
+};
+
 flatbuffers::Offset<Monster> CreateMonster(flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder &_fbb, const MonsterT *_o, const flatbuffers::rehasher_function_t *_rehasher = nullptr);
 
 }  // namespace Example2
@@ -719,6 +731,7 @@ struct TestSimpleTableWithEnumT : public flatbuffers::NativeTable {
 struct TestSimpleTableWithEnum FLATBUFFERS_FINAL_CLASS : private flatbuffers::Table {
   typedef TestSimpleTableWithEnumT NativeTableType;
   typedef TestSimpleTableWithEnumBuilder Builder;
+  struct Traits;
   static const flatbuffers::TypeTable *MiniReflectTypeTable() {
     return TestSimpleTableWithEnumTypeTable();
   }
@@ -768,6 +781,11 @@ inline flatbuffers::Offset<TestSimpleTableWithEnum> CreateTestSimpleTableWithEnu
   return builder_.Finish();
 }
 
+struct TestSimpleTableWithEnum::Traits {
+  using type = TestSimpleTableWithEnum;
+  static auto constexpr Create = CreateTestSimpleTableWithEnum;
+};
+
 flatbuffers::Offset<TestSimpleTableWithEnum> CreateTestSimpleTableWithEnum(flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder &_fbb, const TestSimpleTableWithEnumT *_o, const flatbuffers::rehasher_function_t *_rehasher = nullptr);
 
 struct StatT : public flatbuffers::NativeTable {
@@ -784,6 +802,7 @@ struct StatT : public flatbuffers::NativeTable {
 struct Stat FLATBUFFERS_FINAL_CLASS : private flatbuffers::Table {
   typedef StatT NativeTableType;
   typedef StatBuilder Builder;
+  struct Traits;
   static const flatbuffers::TypeTable *MiniReflectTypeTable() {
     return StatTypeTable();
   }
@@ -860,6 +879,11 @@ inline flatbuffers::Offset<Stat> CreateStat(
   return builder_.Finish();
 }
 
+struct Stat::Traits {
+  using type = Stat;
+  static auto constexpr Create = CreateStat;
+};
+
 inline flatbuffers::Offset<Stat> CreateStatDirect(
     flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder &_fbb,
     const char *id = nullptr,
@@ -886,6 +910,7 @@ struct ReferrableT : public flatbuffers::NativeTable {
 struct Referrable FLATBUFFERS_FINAL_CLASS : private flatbuffers::Table {
   typedef ReferrableT NativeTableType;
   typedef ReferrableBuilder Builder;
+  struct Traits;
   static const flatbuffers::TypeTable *MiniReflectTypeTable() {
     return ReferrableTypeTable();
   }
@@ -941,6 +966,11 @@ inline flatbuffers::Offset<Referrable> CreateReferrable(
   return builder_.Finish();
 }
 
+struct Referrable::Traits {
+  using type = Referrable;
+  static auto constexpr Create = CreateReferrable;
+};
+
 flatbuffers::Offset<Referrable> CreateReferrable(flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder &_fbb, const ReferrableT *_o, const flatbuffers::rehasher_function_t *_rehasher = nullptr);
 
 struct MonsterT : public flatbuffers::NativeTable {
@@ -1017,6 +1047,7 @@ struct MonsterT : public flatbuffers::NativeTable {
 struct Monster FLATBUFFERS_FINAL_CLASS : private flatbuffers::Table {
   typedef MonsterT NativeTableType;
   typedef MonsterBuilder Builder;
+  struct Traits;
   static const flatbuffers::TypeTable *MiniReflectTypeTable() {
     return MonsterTypeTable();
   }
@@ -1766,6 +1797,11 @@ inline flatbuffers::Offset<Monster> CreateMonster(
   return builder_.Finish();
 }
 
+struct Monster::Traits {
+  using type = Monster;
+  static auto constexpr Create = CreateMonster;
+};
+
 inline flatbuffers::Offset<Monster> CreateMonsterDirect(
     flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder &_fbb,
     const MyGame::Example::Vec3 *pos = 0,
@@ -1920,6 +1956,7 @@ struct TypeAliasesT : public flatbuffers::NativeTable {
 struct TypeAliases FLATBUFFERS_FINAL_CLASS : private flatbuffers::Table {
   typedef TypeAliasesT NativeTableType;
   typedef TypeAliasesBuilder Builder;
+  struct Traits;
   static const flatbuffers::TypeTable *MiniReflectTypeTable() {
     return TypeAliasesTypeTable();
   }
@@ -2114,6 +2151,11 @@ inline flatbuffers::Offset<TypeAliases> CreateTypeAliases(
   return builder_.Finish();
 }
 
+struct TypeAliases::Traits {
+  using type = TypeAliases;
+  static auto constexpr Create = CreateTypeAliases;
+};
+
 inline flatbuffers::Offset<TypeAliases> CreateTypeAliasesDirect(
     flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder &_fbb,
     int8_t i8 = 0,

tests/cpp17/test_cpp17.cpp

@@ -36,8 +36,31 @@ namespace cpp11 {
 #include "../monster_test_generated.h"
 }  // namespace cpp11
 
+void CreateTableByTypeTest() {
+  flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder builder;
+
+  // We will create an object of this type using only the type.
+  using type_to_create_t = cpp17::MyGame::Example::Stat;
+
+  [&builder] {
+    auto id_str = builder.CreateString("my_id");
+    auto table = type_to_create_t::Traits::Create(builder, id_str, 42, 7);
+    // Be sure that the correct return type was inferred.
+    static_assert(
+        std::is_same_v<decltype(table), flatbuffers::Offset<type_to_create_t>>);
+    builder.Finish(table);
+  }();
+
+  // Access it.
+  auto stat =
+      flatbuffers::GetRoot<type_to_create_t>(builder.GetBufferPointer());
+  TEST_EQ_STR(stat->id()->c_str(), "my_id");
+  TEST_EQ(stat->val(), 42);
+  TEST_EQ(stat->count(), 7);
+}
+
 int FlatBufferCpp17Tests() {
-  TEST_ASSERT(true);
+  CreateTableByTypeTest();
   return 0;
 }