Here is my solution:
#include <stdexcept>
#include <sstream>
class Formatter
{
public:
Formatter() {}
~Formatter() {}
template <typename Type>
Formatter & operator << (const Type & value)
{
stream_ << value;
return *this;
}
std::string str() const { return stream_.str(); }
operator std::string () const { return stream_.str(); }
enum ConvertToString
{
to_str
};
std::string operator >> (ConvertToString) { return stream_.str(); }
private:
std::stringstream stream_;
Formatter(const Formatter &);
Formatter & operator = (Formatter &);
};
Example:
throw std::runtime_error(Formatter() << foo << 13 << ", bar" << myData); // implicitly cast to std::string
throw std::runtime_error(Formatter() << foo << 13 << ", bar" << myData >> Formatter::to_str); // explicitly cast to std::string