Why does this std::enable_if not work - c++

From this question Why should I avoid std::enable_if in function signatures it seems I should be able to write
#include <type_traits>
#include <iostream>
enum Class {
Primary,
Secondary
};
template<Class C>
class Entity {
public:
template<typename Cls = C, typename Sec = Secondary, std::enable_if<std::is_same<Cls, Sec>::value>::type = 0>
void onlyLegalForSecondaryEntities() {
std::cout << "Works" << std::endl;
}
};
int main() {
Entity<Secondary> e;
e.onlyLegalForSecondaryEntities();
return 0;
}
But this fails compilation with error prog.cpp:13:7: note: template argument deduction/substitution failed
How do I get this code to compile?

Your use of Class for an enum is a horrible idea. Don't use language keywords with capitalization differences as type names.
C is a compile-time value of type Class. It is not a type.
typename Cls = C attempts to assign a value of type Class to a type. This is an error akin to saying "picking up a sad". sad is not a noun, it is not something you can pick up.
The easiest way to make your code compile is to delete onlyLegalForSecondaryEntities entirely, and all references to it.
In general, under the standard you cannot have a template method which is only valid when certain arguments are passed to the template class it exists within. Doing so makes your program ill formed, no diagnostic required.
This is close:
template<Class Cls = C,
std::enable_if_t< Cls == Secondary, int> =0
>
void onlyLegalForSecondaryEntities() {
std::cout << "Works" << std::endl;
}
except that even on Entity<Primary>, you can do .onlyLegalForSecondaryEntities<Secondary>().
If you don't want to permit this, I'd use CRTP.
template<bool b, class D>
struct empty_if_false {};
template<class D>
struct empty_if_false<true, D> {
D* self() { return static_cast<D*>(this); }
D const* self() const { return static_cast<D*>(this); }
void onlyLegalForSecondaryEntities() {
// use self() instead of this in this method to get at a this pointer
std::cout << "Works" << std::endl;
}
};
then:
template<Class C>
class Entity:public empty_if_false< C==Secondary, Entity<C> > {
to conditionally have the method.

Related

Is this considered valid c++11 or c++14? Or is gcc/clang getting it wrong?

While trying to solve Is it possible to tell if a class has hidden a base function in C++?, I generated this:
#include <type_traits>
#include <iostream>
#define ENABLE_IF(...) std::enable_if_t<(__VA_ARGS__), int> = 0
template<class T, class B, ENABLE_IF(std::is_same<void(T::*)(), decltype(&T::x)>::value)>
auto has_x_f(T*) -> std::true_type;
template<class T, class B>
auto has_x_f(B*) -> std::false_type;
template<class T, class B>
using has_x = decltype(has_x_f<T, B>((T*)nullptr));
template<typename T>
struct A
{
void x() {}
static const bool x_hidden;
template <typename R, ENABLE_IF(std::is_same<T, R>::value && x_hidden)>
void y(R value)
{
std::cout << "x() is hidden" << std::endl;
}
template <typename R, ENABLE_IF(std::is_same<T, R>::value && !x_hidden)>
void y(R value)
{
std::cout << "x() is not hidden" << std::endl;
}
//using t = std::integral_constant<bool, x_hidden>;
};
struct B : A<B>
{
void x() {}
};
struct C : A<C>
{
};
template<typename T>
const bool A<T>::x_hidden = has_x<T, A<T>>::value;
int main()
{
B b;
C c;
std::cout << "B: ";
std::cout << b.x_hidden << std::endl;
std::cout << "C: ";
std::cout << c.x_hidden << std::endl;
std::cout << "B: ";
b.y(b);
std::cout << "C: ";
c.y(c);
return 0;
}
Which outputs what I want:
B: 1
C: 0
B: x() is hidden
C: x() is not hidden
clang and gcc both compile and execute this "correctly", but vc++ doesn't (though I am aware that there are problems with it working properly with expressions similar to template <typename T> ... decltype(fn(std::declval<T>().mfn()))).
So my question is, is this considered valid or will it break later on? I'm also curious about the x_hidden being able to be used as a template parameter in the functions but not being able to use it in using t = std::integral_constant<bool, x_hidden>. Is that just because the template's type isn't fully declared at this point? If so, why did using it work for the function declarations?
If x_hidden is false, there is no template arguements for which this template function
template <typename R, ENABLE_IF(std::is_same<T, R>::value && x_hidden)>
void y(R value) {
std::cout << "x() is hidden" << std::endl;
}
can be instantiated, so your program is ill formed no diagnostic required. This is a common hack, its illegality may be made clear or even legal at some point.
There may be a reason for using has_x_f instead of just directly initializing is_hidden with the is_same clause, but it isn't demonstrated in your code.
For any template specialization, there must be arguments which would make the instantiation valid. If there are not, the program is ill-formed no diagnostic required.
I believe this clause is in the standard to permit compilers to do more advanced checks on templates, but not require them.
template <typename R, ENABLE_IF(std::is_same<T, R>::value && x_hidden)>
void y(R value)
{
std::cout << "x() is hidden" << std::endl;
}
the compiler is free to notice x_hidden is false, and say "it doesn't matter what is_same<T,R> is", and deduce that no template arguments could make this specialization valid. Then generate an error.
An easy hack is
template <class T2=T, class R,
ENABLE_IF(std::is_same<T2, R>::value && has_x<T2, A<T2>>::value)
>
void y(R value)
{
std::cout << "x() is hidden" << std::endl;
}
where we sneak another template argument in that equals T usually. Now, the compiler has to admit the possibility that T2 passes the has_x test, and that the passed argument is R. Users can bypass this by manually passing the "wrong" T2.
This may not solve everything. The standard is a bit tricky to read here, but one reading states that if within the body of y() we go and assume that our T itself has x(), we still violate the rule of the possibility of a valid template instantiation.
[temp.res] 14.6/8 (root and 1)
Knowing which names are type names allows the syntax of every template to be checked. The program is ill-formed, no diagnostic required, if:
no valid specialization can be generated for a template [...] and the template is not instantiated, or
No valid specialization for
template <typename R, ENABLE_IF(std::is_same<T, R>::value && x_hidden)>
void y(R value)
{
std::cout << "x() is hidden" << std::endl;
}
can be generated if x_hidden is false. The exitence of another overload is immaterial.
If you fix it using the T2 trick, the same rule holds if the body assumes T=T2.
Three are words in the standard that attempt to not cause the template to be instantiated in certain contexts, but I am unsure if that makes the above code well formed or not.
I tried compiling your code with the Intel C++ compiler(icpc (ICC) 17.0.2 20170213), and it would not compile with the following message:
main.cpp(30): error: expression must have a constant value
template <typename R, ENABLE_IF(std::is_same<T, R>::value && !x_hidden)>
^
/home/com/gcc/6.2.0/bin/../include/c++/6.2.0/type_traits(2512): error: class "std::enable_if<<error-constant>, int>" has no member "type"
using enable_if_t = typename enable_if<_Cond, _Tp>::type;
^
detected during instantiation of type "std::enable_if_t<<error-constant>, int>" at line 30 of "main.cpp"
main.cpp(62): error: more than one instance of overloaded function "B::y" matches the argument list:
function template "void A<T>::y(R) [with T=B]"
function template "void A<T>::y(R) [with T=B]"
argument types are: (B)
object type is: B
b.y(b);
I was however able to compile the following with both the Intel compiler and GCC.
#include <iostream>
#define ENABLE_IF(...) std::enable_if_t<(__VA_ARGS__), int> = 0
template<class T, class B, ENABLE_IF(std::is_same<void(T::*)(), decltype(&T::x)>::value)>
auto has_x_f(T*) -> std::true_type;
template<class T, class B>
auto has_x_f(B*) -> std::false_type;
template<class T, class B>
using has_x = decltype(has_x_f<T, B>((T*)nullptr));
template<class T>
class A
{
public:
T& self() { return static_cast<T&>(*this); }
void x() { }
template
< class TT = T
, typename std::enable_if<has_x<TT, A<TT> >::value, int>::type = 0
>
void y()
{
std::cout << " have x hidden " << std::endl;
// if you are so inclined, you can call x() in a "safe" way
this->self().x(); // Calls x() from class "Derived" (Here class B)
}
template
< class TT = T
, typename std::enable_if<!has_x<TT, A<TT> >::value, int>::type = 0
>
void y()
{
std::cout << " does not have x hidden " << std::endl;
// if you are so inclined, you can call x() in a "safe" way
this->self().x(); // Calls x() from class "Base" (Here class A)
}
};
class B : public A<B>
{
public:
void x() { }
};
class C : public A<C>
{
};
int main()
{
B b;
C c;
b.y();
c.y();
return 0;
}
I am not aware whether or not this is incorrect according to the standard however, but as I see it you do not run into the problem mentioned in one of the other answers, that you have a template that cannot be instantiated.
EDIT: I was able to get to compile on MSVC 2017 by some "old-times" template metaprogramming tricks, and using classes instead of functions.
If I use this implementation of has_x instead it compiles:
template<class T, bool>
struct has_x_impl;
template<class T>
struct has_x_impl<T, true>: std::true_type
{
};
template<class T>
struct has_x_impl<T, false>: std::false_type
{
};
template<class T>
using has_x = has_x_impl<T, std::is_same<void(T::*)(), decltype(&T::x)>::value>;
Full code on Wandbox here.
I had a bit of a code clean-up (got rid of the out-of-line x_hidden declaration) and ended up with the following. I also fixed it slightly based on #Yakk's answer above, to avoid [temp.res]/8 invalidating it.
#include <type_traits>
#include <iostream>
#include <cassert>
#define ENABLE_IF(...) std::enable_if_t<(__VA_ARGS__), int> = 0
template<class T, class Base, ENABLE_IF(std::is_same<void(T::*)(), decltype(&T::x)>::value)>
auto has_x_f() -> std::true_type;
template<class T, class Base, ENABLE_IF(std::is_same<void(Base::*)(), decltype(&T::x)>::value)>
auto has_x_f() -> std::false_type;
template<class T, class Base>
using has_x = decltype(has_x_f<T, Base>());
template<typename T>
struct A
{
void x() {}
static bool constexpr x_hidden() {
return has_x<T, A<T>>::value;
}
void y()
{
assert(x_hidden() == y_<T>(nullptr) );
}
void y2()
{
if constexpr(x_hidden()) {
typename T::BType i = 1;
(void)i;
} else {
typename T::CType i = 1;
(void)i;
}
}
private:
template <typename R, typename T2=T, ENABLE_IF(A<T2>::x_hidden())>
static bool y_(R*)
{
std::cout << "x() is hidden" << std::endl;
return true;
}
template <typename R, typename T2=T, ENABLE_IF(!A<R>::x_hidden())>
static bool y_(T*)
{
std::cout << "x() is not hidden" << std::endl;
return false;
}
};
struct B : A<B>
{
void x() {}
using BType = int;
};
static_assert(std::is_same<decltype(&B::x), void(B::*)()>::value, "B::x is a member of B");
struct C : A<C>
{
using CType = int;
};
static_assert(std::is_same<decltype(&C::x), void(A<C>::*)()>::value, "C::x is a member of A<C>");
int main()
{
B b;
C c;
std::cout << "B: ";
std::cout << B::x_hidden() << std::endl;
std::cout << "C: ";
std::cout << C::x_hidden() << std::endl;
std::cout << "B: ";
b.y();
b.y2();
std::cout << "C: ";
c.y();
c.y2();
return 0;
}
Live demo on wandbox -- gcc and clang are both happy with it.
MSVC 2017 complained
error C2064: term does not evaluate to a function taking 0 arguments
for both uses of A<T2>::x_hidden(), when instantiating A<B> for B to inherit from.
MSVC 2015 gave the same complaint, and then suffered an Internal Compiler Error. ^_^
So I think this is valid, but exercises MSVC's constexpr or template instantiation machinery in unpleasant ways.
Per the example in [expr.unary.op]/3, the type of &B::x is void (B::*)(), and the type of &C::x is void (A<C>::*)(). So the first has_x_f() will be present when T is B, and the second has_x_f() will be present when T is C and Base is A<C>.
Per [temp.inst]/2, instantiating the class instantiates declarations but not definitions of the members. Per [temp.inst]/3 and 4, member function definitions (including template functions) are not instantiated until required.
Our declarations here are currently different, as the use of R and T2 mean the compiler cannot determine the truth or falsehood of either size of the &&.
The use of the different parameter types helps MSVC, which would otherwise see them as redefinitions of the same template member template function. My reading of [temp.inst]/2 says this is not needed, as they're only redefintions when we instantiate them, and they cannot be instantiated at the same time. Because we use A<T2>::x_hidden() and !A<R>::x_hidden(), the compiler cannot know that they are mutually exclusive at this time. I don't think it's necessary to do that to avoid [temp.res]/8, simply using A<R>::x_hidden() seems safe-enough to me. This was also to ensure that in the two templates, R as actually used.
From there on, it's pretty easy. y() shows we have the right values coming from both paths.
Depend on your use-case, you could use if constexpr with x_hidden() to avoid all the template magic in y_(), per y2() above.
This avoids the issue with [temp.res]/8 described in #Yakk's answer, as the problematic clause [temp.res]/8.1 is that the template is ill-formed if
no valid specialization can be generated for a template or a substatement of a constexpr if statement within a template and the template is not instantiated, [...]
So as long as you instantiate A<T>::y2() for some T, then you're not subject to this clause.
The y2() approach has the advantage of working with MSVC2017, as long as you pass in the "/std:c++latest" compiler flag.

How to use generic template function to handle objects with different members?

I have looked around a while for a solution to this, however, I might not know the exact definition or language syntax of what I am trying to accomplish, so I decided to post.
I have certain objects/structs like so:
struct A
{
char myChar;
bool hasArray = false;
};
template <uint8_t ARRAY_LEN>
struct AA : public A
{
hasArray = true;
uint8_t myArray[ARRAY_LEN];
};
I want to create a generic function that can take in both of these object types and to perform common work as well as specific work for the derived struct AA. Something like the following:
template <typename T>
void func(T (&m))
{
if (T.hasArray)
{
// do some processing with m.myArray
std::cout << sizeof(m.myArray) << std::endl;
// ...
}
// common processing
std::cout << "myChar: " << m.myChar << std::endl;
};
I want to be able to call the function like so:
A a;
AA aa;
func(a); // compiler error, this would not work as no array member
func(aa); // this works
Granted this is just an example that illustrates my intent, but it sums up what I would like to do. The actual code is a lot more complex and involved many more objects. I know I can overload, but I want to know if there is a way to do it with one generic function? Also note that I understand why the compiler complains with the sample code I would like to know if there is a workaround or some other c++ functionality that I am missing. I would not like to do any type casting...
- Using c++11 and GCC 4.8.5
This is a C++14 feature of reasonably large complexity. C++17 introduced if constexpr to make this easier; but it is doable.
template<std::size_t I>
using index_t=std::integral_constant<std::size_t, I>;
template<std::size_t I>
constexpr index_t<I> index{};
constexpr inline index_t<0> dispatch_index() { return {}; }
template<class B0, class...Bs,
std::enable_if_t<B0::value, int> =0
>
constexpr index_t<0> dispatch_index( B0, Bs... ) { return {}; }
template<class B0, class...Bs,
std::enable_if_t<!B0::value, int> =0
>
constexpr auto dispatch_index( B0, Bs... ) {
return index< 1 + dispatch_index( decltype(Bs){}...) >;
}
template<class...Bs>
auto dispatch( Bs... ) {
using I = decltype(dispatch_index( decltype(Bs){}... ));
return [](auto&&...args)->decltype(auto){
return std::get<I::value>( std::make_tuple(decltype(args)(args)..., [](auto&&...){}) );
};
}
dispatch( some_test ) returns a lambda that takes auto&&.... It in turn returns the first argument if some_test is of a true-like-type, and the second argument (or [](auto&&...){} if no second argument) if some_test is of a false-like-type.
We then write code to detect your myArray.
namespace details {
template<template<class...>class Z, class=void, class...Ts>
struct can_apply:std::false_type{};
template<template<class...>class Z, class...Ts>
struct can_apply<Z, std::void_t<Z<Ts...>>, Ts...>:std::true_type{};
}
template<template<class...>class Z, class...Ts>
using can_apply = typename details::can_apply<Z, void, Ts...>::type;
template<class T>
using myArray_type = decltype( std::declval<T>().myArray );
template<class T>
using has_myArray = can_apply< myArray_type, T >;
and has_myArray<T> is true-like if T has a member .myArray.
We hook these together
dispatch( has_myArray<T>{} )(
[&](auto&& m) {
// do some processing with m.myArray
std::cout << sizeof(m.myArray) << std::endl;
// ...
}
)( m );
and now the lambda in the middle is run if and only if m.myArray is valid.
More complex tests that check for more than just existence can be written, but the above is usually sufficient.
In a non-C++11 compiler like MSVC 2015, replace
std::enable_if_t<B0::value, int> =0
and
std::enable_if_t<!B0::value, int> =0
with
class = std::enable_if_t<B0::value>
and
class = std::enable_if_t<!B0::value>, class=void
respectively. Yes, these are uglier. Go talk to MSVC compiler team.
If your compiler lacks C++14, you'll have to write your own void_t and either write your own enable_if_t or use the ugly longer version using enable_if.
In addition, the template variable index is illegal in C++11. Replace index<blah> with index_t<blah>{}.
The lack of auto&& lambdas makes the above very painful; you may have to convert the lambda to an out-of-line function object. However, auto lambdas where one of the first C++14 features people implemented, often before they finished C++11.
The above code is solid designed, but may contain typos.
Overloading works just fine in your case if you don't want to modify your instances:
#include<iostream>
#include<cstdint>
struct A
{
char myChar;
};
template <uint8_t ARRAY_LEN>
struct AA : public A
{
uint8_t myArray[ARRAY_LEN];
};
void func(const A &m)
{
std::cout << "myChar: " << m.myChar << std::endl;
};
template <uint8_t AL>
void func(const AA<AL> &m)
{
std::cout << sizeof(m.myArray) << std::endl;
func(static_cast<const A &>(m));
}
int main() {
func(A{});
func(AA<1>{});
}
If you still want to go with a template function and a bit of sfinae, I would probably use something like this instead:
#include<iostream>
#include<cstdint>
struct A
{
char myChar;
};
template <uint8_t ARRAY_LEN>
struct AA : public A
{
uint8_t myArray[ARRAY_LEN];
};
void func(A &m)
{
std::cout << "myChar: " << m.myChar << std::endl;
}
template <typename T>
auto func(T &m) -> decltype(m.myArray, void())
{
std::cout << sizeof(m.myArray) << std::endl;
A &a = m;
func(a);
}
int main() {
AA<1> aa{};
A a{};
func(a);
func(aa);
}
Note that in both cases you don't actually require the hasArray member data.
there is a way to do it with one generic function?
I don't think so, because if you insert a sizeof(m.myArray) in this function, you can't call it with a type without a myArray member. Even if it is in a part of code that, run time, isn't executed, because the compiler need to compile it.
But, if I understand correctly, your hasArray say if your struct has a myArray member or not. So I suppose you can transform it in a static constexpr member, as follows
struct A
{
static constexpr bool hasArray { false };
char myChar { 'z' };
};
template <uint8_t ARRAY_LEN>
struct AA : public A
{
static constexpr bool hasArray { true };
uint8_t myArray[ARRAY_LEN];
};
Now, in func(), you can call a second function, func2(), to choose the two cases: myArray or not myArray. You can use SFINAE for this but (IMHO) is better tag dispatching, in this case. So you can transform your hasArray in a different type
template <typename T>
void func2 (T const & m, std::true_type const &)
{ std::cout << sizeof(m.myArray) << ", "; }
template <typename T>
void func2 (T const &, std::false_type const &)
{ }
template <typename T>
void func(T (&m))
{
func2(m, std::integral_constant<bool, T::hasArray>{});
// common processing
std::cout << "myChar: " << m.myChar << std::endl;
}
Now you can call func() with both types
int main()
{
A a;
AA<12U> aa;
func(a); // print myChar: z
func(aa); // print 12, myChar: z
}
Remember to include type_traits and iostream.

C++: template to check if expression compiles

When writing template specialization with SFINAE you often come to the point where you need to write a whole new specialization because of one small not-existing member or function. I would like to pack this selection into a small statement like orElse<T a,T b>.
small example:
template<typename T> int get(T& v){
return orElse<v.get(),0>();
}
is this possible?
The intent of orElse<v.get(),0>() is clear enough, but if such a thing could exist,
it would have to be be one of:
Invocation Lineup
orElse(v,&V::get,0)
orElse<V,&V::get>(v,0)
orElse<V,&V::get,0>(v)
where v is of type V, and the function template thus instantiated
would be respectively:
Function Template Lineup
template<typename T>
int orElse(T & obj, int(T::pmf*)(), int deflt);
template<typename T, int(T::*)()>
int orElse(T & obj, int deflt);
template<typename T, int(T::*)(), int Default>
int orElse(T & obj);
As you appreciate, no such a thing can exist with the effect that you want.
For any anyone who doesn't get that,
the reason is simply this: None of the function invocations in the Invocation Lineup
will compile if there is no such member as V::get. There's no getting round
that, and the fact that the function invoked might be an instantiation of a
function template in the Function Template Lineup makes no difference whatever.
If V::get does not exist, then any code that mentions it will not compile.
However, you seem to have a practical goal that need not be approached
in just this hopeless way. It looks as if, for a given name foo and an given type R,
you want to be able to write just one function template:
template<typename T, typename ...Args>
R foo(T && obj, Args &&... args);
which will return the value of R(T::foo), called upon obj with arguments args...,
if such a member function exists, and otherwise return some default R.
If that's right, it can be achieved as per the following illustration:
#include <utility>
#include <type_traits>
namespace detail {
template<typename T>
T default_ctor()
{
return T();
}
// SFINAE `R(T::get)` exists
template<typename T, typename R, R(Default)(), typename ...Args>
auto get_or_default(
T && obj,
Args &&... args) ->
std::enable_if_t<
std::is_same<R,decltype(obj.get(std::forward<Args>(args)...))
>::value,R>
{
return obj.get(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
}
// SFINAE `R(T::get)` does not exist
template<typename T, typename R, R(Default)(), typename ...Args>
R get_or_default(...)
{
return Default();
}
} //namespace detail
// This is your universal `int get(T,Args...)`
template<typename T, typename ...Args>
int get(T && obj, Args &&... args)
{
return detail::get_or_default<T&,int,detail::default_ctor>
(obj,std::forward<Args>(args)...);
}
// C++14, trivially adaptable for C++11
which can be tried out with:
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
struct A
{
A(){};
int get() {
return 1;
}
int get(int i) const {
return i + i;
}
};
struct B
{
double get() {
return 2.2;
}
double get(double d) {
return d * d;
}
};
struct C{};
int main()
{
A const aconst;
A a;
B b;
C c;
cout << get(aconst) << endl; // expect 0
cout << get(a) << endl; // expect 1
cout << get(b) << endl; // expect 0
cout << get(c) << endl; // expect 0
cout << get(a,1) << endl; // expect 2
cout << get(b,2,2) << endl; // expect 0
cout << get(c,3) << endl; // expect 0
cout << get(A(),2) << endl; // expect 4
cout << get(B(),2,2) << endl; // expect 0
cout << get(C(),3) << endl; // expect 0
return 0;
}
There is "compound SFINAE" in play in the complicated return type:
std::enable_if_t<
std::is_same<R,decltype(obj.get(std::forward<Args>(args)...))
>::value,R>
If T::get does not exist then decltype(obj.get(std::forward<Args>(args)...)
does not compile. But if it does compile, and the return-type of T::get is
something other than R, then the std::enable_if_t type specifier does not
compile. Only if the member function exists and has the desired return type R
can the R(T::get) exists case be instantiated. Otherwise the
catch-all R(T::get) does not exist case is chosen.
Notice that get(aconst) returns 0 and not 1. That's as it should be,
because the non-const overload A::get() cannot be called on a const A.
You can use the same pattern for any other R foo(V & v,Args...) and
existent or non-existent R(V::foo)(Args...).
If R is not default-constructible, or if you want the default R that
is returned when R(V::foo) does not exist to be something different from
R(), then define a function detail::fallback (or whatever) that returns the
desired default R and specify it instead of detail::default_ctor
How nice it would be it you could further template-paramaterize the pattern
to accomodate any possible member function of T with any possible return
type R. But the additional template parameter you would need for that would
be R(T::*)(typename...),and its instantiating value would have to be
&V::get (or whatever), and then the pattern would
force you into the fatal snare of mentioning the thing whose existence is in doubt.
Yes, this is more or less possible. It is known as a "member detector". See this wikibooks link for how to accomplish this with macros. The actual implementation will depend on whether you are using pre- or post-C++11 and which compiler you are using.

get type of member memberpointer points to

I would like to extract the type of the member a member pointer points to.
template<someType myClass::*member>
void demo(myClass& instance, void* ptr) {
instance.*member = *reinterpret_cast<someType*>(ptr); // can the someType in this line be deduced from member?
}
I tried using decltype as suggested in the comments, however I have issues with this:
instance.*member= static_cast<decltype(instance.*member)>((*buffer)[offset]);
buffer is a std::shared_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>>,
someType is uint32_t
I get the following error message:
error: invalid static_cast from type
‘__gnu_cxx::__alloc_traits >::value_type
{aka unsigned char}’ to type ‘uint32_t& {aka unsigned int&}’
As far as I understand decltype(instance.*member) with member defined as uint32_t instance::*member yields a reference uint32_t& rather than uint32_t. I tried to pass instance by value and the error remains. I am aware of std::remove_reference however, I do not understand how the reference gets to be there in the first place.
A further improvement would be if I could extract the someType without a class instance. However I have no clue how to achieve this, while I can get the class without a pointer by having the std lib like:
template <T*>
struct removePointer {
typedef T type;
}
I have no Idea how to write this in a form where I can get the someType part of the class, without knowing the class first. I could write something like the following however I would still have to pass the class naem and typename explicitly, is there a way to extract these automatically? Furthermore the following doe not compile in the first place (http://ideone.com/8VlKO4):
#include
using namespace std;
template <class C,typename T, T C::*v>
struct getPointerType {
typedef T type;
};
class Test {
int value;
};
int main() {
int Test::*member=nullptr;
cout << typeid(getPointerType<Test, int, decltype(member)>::type) << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Frankly, it's a bit hard to understand what you're trying to achieve, so I will focus on the updated part.
Clearly, you can not pass types (derived from decltype) as value arguments to the template. Moreover, you can not pass non constexpr values as template arguments (so you can not just stick the member variable into the template argument and expect it to compile).
However, you can rely on compiler to be able to deduce a correct function to call on non costexpr variable:
template <class C, typename T>
T getPointerType(T C::*v);
class Test {
int value;
};
int main() {
int Test::*member=nullptr;
cout << typeid(decltype(member)).name() << std::endl;
cout << typeid(decltype(getPointerType(member))).name() << std::endl;
return 0;
}
The above will print:
M4Testi //int Test::*
i //int
It is, of course, possible to "abuse" the template substitution even more:
template <typename M>
struct getPointerType {
template <typename C, typename T>
static T get_type(T C::*v);
typedef decltype(get_type(static_cast<M>(nullptr))) type;
};
class Test {
int value;
};
int main() {
int Test::*member=nullptr;
cout << typeid(getPointerType<decltype(member)>::type).name() << std::endl;
return 0;
}
The output will be the expected "i".
Here's a solution using template specialization technique :
#include <type_traits>
template <class T>
struct member_type_helper;
template <class C, class T>
struct member_type_helper<T C::*> { using type = T; };
template <class T>
struct member_type
: member_type_helper<typename std::remove_cvref<T>::type> {};
// Helper type
template <class T>
using member_type_t = member_type<T>::type;
Example of usage :
#include <iostream>
struct Foo { int i; };
int main()
{
auto ptr1 = &Foo::i;
auto const& ptr2 = &Foo::i;
volatile auto const ptr3 = &Foo::i; // let's go crazy
// prints true true true
std::cout << std::boolalpha
<< std::same_as<int, member_type_t<decltype(ptr1)>> << '\n'
<< std::same_as<int, member_type_t<decltype(ptr2)>> << '\n'
<< std::same_as<int, member_type_t<decltype(ptr3)>> << '\n';
}
I guess std::remove_cvref might be an overkill for most usage, but hey, it's free. If your compiler isn't >C++20 compliant, you could use std::remove_cv instead (> C++11).

Checking if a function with a given signature exists in c++

So I was looking for ways to check whether a function with a particular argument exists. I have a templated method which relies on an external function (external from the class) to do the job:
template <class Moo>
void exportDataTo(Moo& ret){
extended_solid_loader(ret, *this);
}
At multiple points in the project I have macros which define extended_solid_loader for different types, but now I want to be able to use a default function if extended_solid_loader hasn't been defined for that particular class type.
I came across this:
Is it possible to write a template to check for a function's existence?
but it seems a little different, in that I'm not checking for a method, but rather a definition of a function with a particular argument type.
Is this possible right now?
You can just provide a function template for extended_solid_loader providing a default implementation, and users who want to use something other than the default implementation just specialize that.
template<class T>
void extended_solid_loader(T & ret, SomeClass & obj) {
// default implementation here
}
template<>
void extended_solid_loader<MooClass>(MooClass & ret, SomeClass & obj) {
// special implementation for MooClass here
}
You don't actually have to do anything particularly special. Just make sure there's a version of that function available to the template and let ADL do the dirty work. Check out this example:
#include <iostream>
namespace bob {
struct X {};
void f(X const&) { std::cout << "bob::f\n"; }
}
namespace ed {
template < typename T >
void f(T const&) { std::cout << "ed::f\n"; }
template < typename T >
struct test
{
void doit() // not called f and no other member so named.
{ f(T()); }
};
}
int main()
{
ed::test<int> test1;
ed::test<bob::X> test2;
test1.doit();
test2.doit();
std::cin.get();
}
Works without the namespace stuff too (non-templates have preference). I just used that to show that ADL will pick it up when you do.
Your original question was interesting. Found a way to do it in C++0x:
template < typename T >
struct fun_exists
{
typedef char (&yes) [1];
typedef char (&no) [2];
template < typename U >
static yes check(decltype(f(U()))*);
template < typename U >
static no check(...);
enum { value = sizeof(check<T>(0)) == sizeof(yes) };
};
void f(double const&) {}
struct test {};
#include <iostream>
int main()
{
std::cout << fun_exists<double>::value << std::endl;
std::cout << fun_exists<test>::value << std::endl;
std::cin.get();
}