An attempt to do limited compile time reflection in C++

ctrefl.cpp

// it would be better to use 'std::is_array', 'std::is_reference' 'std::is_integral', and such....
#include <iostream>
#include <sstream>
#include <string>

#define TD1( T, d ) \
   template<> class TypeDescriptor< T > \
   {  public: static std::string text() \
      { \
         return std::string( d ) ; \
      } \
   };


template<typename T>  class TypeDescriptor
{  public: static inline std::string text()
   {
      return std::string("unknown") ;
   }
};
template<typename T>  class TypeDescriptor<T *>
{  public: static std::string text()
   {
      return std::string("pointer to ") + TypeDescriptor<T>::text() ;
   }
};
template<typename T, unsigned long N>  class TypeDescriptor< T [N] >
{  public: static std::string text()
   {
      return std::string("fixed size array with ") + std::to_string( N ) + " values of type " + TypeDescriptor<T>::text() ;
   }
};
template<typename T>  class TypeDescriptor< T & >
{  public: static std::string text()
   {
      return std::string("reference to ") + TypeDescriptor<T>::text() ;
   }
};
template<typename T>  class TypeDescriptor< T [] >
{  public: static std::string text()
   {
      return std::string("pointer to array of ") + TypeDescriptor<T>::text() ;
   }
};


TD1( char, "char" )
TD1( short, "short" )
TD1( int,  "int" )
TD1( long,  "long" )
TD1( unsigned char, "unsigned char" )
TD1( unsigned short, "unsigned short" )
TD1( unsigned int,  "unsigned int" )
TD1( unsigned long,  "unsigned long" )
TD1( float,  "float" )
TD1( double,  "double" )
TD1( long double,  "long double" )



template<typename T>
std::string DescribeTypeOf( T & v )
{
   return TypeDescriptor<T>::text() ;
}

   using namespace std ;


void f( int e[] )
{
   cout << "'e' is a " << DescribeTypeOf(e) << endl ;
}

void g( int x )
{
   cout << "'e' is a " << DescribeTypeOf(e) << endl ;
}


int main()
{

   int * a ;
   cout << "'a' is a " << DescribeTypeOf(a) << endl ;
   int b[3] ;
   cout << "'b' is a " << DescribeTypeOf(b) << endl ;
   unsigned cc = 3 ;
   unsigned & c = cc ;
   cout << "'c' is a " << DescribeTypeOf(c) << endl ;
   int d[3][4] ;
   cout << "'d' is a " << DescribeTypeOf(d) << endl ;
   f(b);
   cout << "'g' is a " << DescribeTypeOf(g) << endl ;
   cout << "test: " << TypeDescriptor< int &>::text() << endl ;
}