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boost_range/doc/intro.html
Thorsten Jørgen Ottosen 6157440017 *** empty log message ***
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2004-08-10 09:56:55 +00:00

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<title>Boost.Range Introduction </title>
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<td ><img src="cboost.gif" border="0" ></td>
<td ><h1 align="center">Boost.Range</h1></td>
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<h2>Introduction</h2>
<p>
When writing generic code that works with Standard Library containers, one often
finds it desirable to extend that code to work with other types that offer
enough functionality to satisfy the needs of the generic code, but in an altered
form. For example, raw arrays are often suitable for use with generic code that
works with containers, provided a suitable adapter is used. Likewise, null
terminated strings can be treated as containers of characters, if suitably
adapted. This library provides the means to adapt Standard Library containers,
null terminated strings, <code>std::pairs</code> of iterators, and raw
arrays, such that the same generic code can work with them all.
</p>
<!-- <p>
This library makes it possible to treat different types as if they have
implemented a subset of the container requirements (see &sect;23.1of the C++
standard). Formally, that subset is defined by the <a href="Range.htm"
target="_self" >Range</a> concept. The subset deals mostly with iterator
returning functions and nested <code >typedef</code>s. The main goal is to treat
built-in arrays, standard containers, pairs of iterators and some iterators
uniformly.
</p>
-->
<p >
The main advantages are
<ul >
<li >
simpler implementation of generic range algorithms
</li>
<li >
more flexible client code
</li>
<li >
correct handling of null-terminated strings
</li>
<li >
safe use of built-in arrays (for legacy code; why else would you use
arrays?) </li>
</ul>
</p>
<p >
Below are given a small example (the complete example can be found <a href="../test/algorithm_example.cpp" target="_self" >here</a>
):
<blockquote>
<pre >
//
// example: extracting bounds in a generic algorithm
//
template< typename ForwardRange, typename T >
inline typename boost::iterator_of< ForwardRange >::type
find( ForwardRange& c, const T& value )
{
return std::find( boost::begin( c ), boost::end( c ), value );
}
template< typename ForwardRange, typename T >
inline typename boost::const_iterator_of< ForwardRange >::type
find( const ForwardRange& c, const T& value )
{
return std::find( boost::begin( c ), boost::end( c ), value );
}
//
// replace first value and return its index
//
template< class ForwardRange, class T >
inline typename boost::size_type_of< ForwardRange >::type
my_generic_replace( ForwardRange& c, const T& value, const T& replacement )
{
typename boost::iterator_of< ForwardRange >::type found = find( c, value );
if( found != boost::end( c ) )
*found = replacement;
return std::distance( boost::begin( c ), found );
}
//
// usage
//
const int N = 5;
std::vector<int> my_vector;
int values[] = { 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 };
my_vector.assign( values, values + 9 );
typedef std::vector<int>::iterator iterator;
std::pair<iterator,iterator> my_view( boost::begin( my_vector ),
boost::begin( my_vector ) + N );
char str_val[] = "a string";
char* str = str_val;
std::cout << my_generic_replace( my_vector, 4, 2 )
<< my_generic_replace( my_view, 4, 2 )
<< my_generic_replace( str, 'a', 'b' );
</pre>
</blockquote>
By using the free-standing functions and metafunctions, the code automatically
works for all the types supported by this library. Notice that we have to
provide two version of <code >find()</code> since we cannot forward a non-const
rvalue with reference arguments (see this article about <a href="http://std.dkuug.dk/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2002/n1385.htm" target="_self" >The
Forwarding Problem</a> ).
</p>
<hr>
<p>
(C) Copyright Thorsten Ottosen 2003-2004
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