Make the default of value() with a C string only if the member is missing

basic_json_view::value(key, "text") and value(pointer, "text") built a
std::string from the default first and passed it on, so a call allocated
for the default even when the member exists, and copied it again when it
does not. They now look the member up and make the result directly: from the
member if there is one, else from the C string. Behavior, including the
exceptions, is the same.

Two calls (member found, member missing) with a 40 character default, Apple M1:
  1.6 K -> 0.7 K instructions
  Linux x86-64 Ir (500 rounds), GCC 13 / Clang 18: 2.46 M -> 2.22 M / 2.40 M -> 2.15 M

Belongs to the PR "json_view: read-side speedups".

Signed-off-by: Niels Lohmann <mail@nlohmann.me>

include/nlohmann/json_view.hpp

@@ -392,7 +392,13 @@ class basic_json_view
 
     string_t value(string_view_t key, const char* default_value) const
     {
-        return value(key, string_t(default_value));
+        if (NLOHMANN_VIEW_UNLIKELY(!is_object()))
+        {
+            detail::view::throw_type_error(306, "cannot use value() with ", type_name());
+        }
+        // (the default is made only if there is no such member)
+        const basic_json_view r = lookup(key);
+        return r.is_discarded() ? string_t(default_value) : r.template get<string_t>();
     }
 
     /// the value a JSON pointer refers to converted to T, or the default
@@ -411,7 +417,12 @@ class basic_json_view
 
     string_t value(const json_pointer& ptr, const char* default_value) const
     {
-        return value(ptr, string_t(default_value));
+        if (NLOHMANN_VIEW_UNLIKELY(!is_structured()))
+        {
+            detail::view::throw_type_error(306, "cannot use value() with ", type_name());
+        }
+        const basic_json_view r = detail::view::resolve_pointer(*this, detail::json_pointer_access::reference_tokens(ptr), detail::view::pointer_mode::value);
+        return r.is_discarded() ? string_t(default_value) : r.template get<string_t>();
     }
 
     /// the first element or member value; a primitive value itself. Throws

single_include/nlohmann/json_view.hpp

@@ -7731,7 +7731,13 @@ class basic_json_view
 
     string_t value(string_view_t key, const char* default_value) const
     {
-        return value(key, string_t(default_value));
+        if (NLOHMANN_VIEW_UNLIKELY(!is_object()))
+        {
+            detail::view::throw_type_error(306, "cannot use value() with ", type_name());
+        }
+        // (the default is made only if there is no such member)
+        const basic_json_view r = lookup(key);
+        return r.is_discarded() ? string_t(default_value) : r.template get<string_t>();
     }
 
     /// the value a JSON pointer refers to converted to T, or the default
@@ -7750,7 +7756,12 @@ class basic_json_view
 
     string_t value(const json_pointer& ptr, const char* default_value) const
     {
-        return value(ptr, string_t(default_value));
+        if (NLOHMANN_VIEW_UNLIKELY(!is_structured()))
+        {
+            detail::view::throw_type_error(306, "cannot use value() with ", type_name());
+        }
+        const basic_json_view r = detail::view::resolve_pointer(*this, detail::json_pointer_access::reference_tokens(ptr), detail::view::pointer_mode::value);
+        return r.is_discarded() ? string_t(default_value) : r.template get<string_t>();
     }
 
     /// the first element or member value; a primitive value itself. Throws

tests/src/unit-json_view.cpp

@@ -1473,7 +1473,17 @@ TEST_CASE("json_view values")
         CHECK(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(v.value("s", 0)); }) == without_path(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(j.value("s", 0)); })));
         CHECK(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(v["n"].value("x", 0)); }) == without_path(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(j["n"].value("x", 0)); })));
         CHECK(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(v["n"].value(json::json_pointer("/x"), 0)); }) == without_path(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(j["n"].value(json::json_pointer("/x"), 0)); })));
+        // string defaults: the member is not a string, or the value is neither an object nor an array
+        CHECK(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(v.value("n", "default")); }) == without_path(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(j.value("n", "default")); })));
+        CHECK(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(v["n"].value("x", "default")); }) == without_path(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(j["n"].value("x", "default")); })));
+        CHECK(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(v.value(json::json_pointer("/n"), "default")); }) == without_path(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(j.value(json::json_pointer("/n"), "default")); })));
+        CHECK(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(v["s"].value(json::json_pointer("/x"), "default")); }) == without_path(exception_of([&] { static_cast<void>(j["s"].value(json::json_pointer("/x"), "default")); })));
 #endif
+        // (defaults and members longer than the short string optimization)
+        CHECK(v.value("s", "a default longer than fifteen characters") == "text");
+        CHECK(v.value("missing", "a default longer than fifteen characters") == "a default longer than fifteen characters");
+        CHECK(v.value(json::json_pointer("/s"), "a default longer than fifteen characters") == "text");
+        CHECK(v.value(json::json_pointer("/zz"), "a default longer than fifteen characters") == "a default longer than fifteen characters");
     }
 }