Constructors in openFrameworks

We need a standardized approach to constructors.

The hardline answer is that there are only two types of constructors:

• default constructors
• copy constructors

This means that ofBuffer(const string) shouldn't exist, only ofBuffer::load(const string). That's kind of reasonable.

But it also means that ofRectangle(x,y,w,h) shouldn't exist, and that's unreasonable.

I think a good guideline is that if anything would be called load, init or setup, then it should be in a method, not a constructor. If something would be called set (simple data container) then it's ok to have a constructor.

What does everyone think? Should ofFile(string filename) exist? How about ofFile(string filename, bool binary)? How about ofImage(string filename)?

Code is cheap, but having more alternatives can make things harder to explain and more difficult to maintain, even when they're simple wrappers.

No files or tests are identified in the issue. Review the constructor examples for ofBuffer, ofRectangle, ofFile, and ofImage, then determine whether a consistent project-wide guideline can be agreed on; done means the API policy and its scope are documented or the issue is resolved.