std set of boost::shared_ptr<string> - c++

Question

I have a set of boost::shared_ptr which I want to be ordered and uniqued not by the shared pointers but by the strings. Do I have to provide a new comparison function getting shared pointers and comparing the contents or there is such a comparator already exists that I can use?

Answer 1

That's pretty specific, so you'll probably need a custom comparator.
This should work:
struct pointercompare
{
bool operator()(const boost::shared_ptr<std::string>& a, const boost::shared_ptr<std::string>& b)
{
return (*a)>(*b);
}
}

Answer 2

I would write a general way of wrapping predicates and iterators that maps value-semantics onto any pointer-like owner.
This then becomes completely general and re-usable.
Simple version here
Bonus code below introduces a complete library for this kind of thing
#include <utility>
#include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
#include <vector>
#include <algorithm>
template<class Comp>
struct pointee
{
pointee(Comp comp = Comp()) : _comp(comp) {}
template<class APtr, class BPtr>
bool operator()(const APtr& a, const BPtr& b)
{
return _comp(*a, *b);
}
Comp _comp;
};
int main()
{
std::vector<boost::shared_ptr<int>> v;
std::sort(v.begin(), v.end(), pointee<std::less<>>());
std::sort(v.begin(), v.end(), pointee<std::greater<>>());
}
For bonus points...
#include <utility>
#include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
#include <vector>
#include <algorithm>
#include <functional>
template<class T, class X, class Y>
struct is_binary_op
{
template<class U> static auto test(U* p) -> decltype((*p)(std::declval<X>(), std::declval<Y>()), void(), std::true_type());
template<class U> static auto test(...) -> decltype(std::false_type());
static constexpr bool value = decltype(test((T*)0))::value;
};
template<class T, class X, class Y> static constexpr bool IsBinaryOp = is_binary_op<T, X, Y>::value;
template<class T, class X>
struct is_unary_op
{
template<class U> static auto test(U* p) -> decltype((*p)(std::declval<X>()), void(), std::true_type());
template<class U> static auto test(...) -> decltype(std::false_type());
static constexpr bool value = decltype(test((T*)0))::value;
};
template<class T, class X> static constexpr bool IsUnaryOp = is_unary_op<T, X>::value;
namespace detail {
template<class Comp>
struct pointee
{
pointee(Comp comp = Comp()) : _comp(comp) {}
template<
class APtr,
class BPtr
>
auto operator()(const APtr& a, const BPtr& b) const
-> std::enable_if_t<
IsBinaryOp<Comp, decltype(*a), decltype(*b)>
, bool>
{
return _comp(*a, *b);
}
template<
class APtr
>
auto operator()(const APtr& a) const
-> std::enable_if_t<
IsUnaryOp<Comp, decltype(*a)>
, bool>
{
return _comp(*a);
}
Comp _comp;
};
template<class Iter>
struct deref_iter : Iter
{
deref_iter(Iter iter) : Iter(iter) {}
auto& operator*() const {
return **static_cast<const Iter&>(*this);
}
};
}
template<class Pred>
auto pointee(Pred&& pred)
{
return detail::pointee<std::decay_t<Pred>>(std::forward<Pred>(pred));
}
template<class Iter>
auto deref_pointee(Iter&& iter)
{
return detail::deref_iter<std::decay_t<Iter>>(std::forward<Iter>(iter));
}
int main()
{
std::vector<boost::shared_ptr<int>> v;
// sort using the less predicate on the pointee
std::sort(v.begin(), v.end(), pointee(std::less<>()));
// sort using the greater predicate on the pointee
std::sort(v.begin(), v.end(), pointee(std::greater<>()));
// apply a unary predicate to every pointee
std::for_each(v.begin(), v.end(), pointee(std::logical_not<>()));
// transform the pointees by binding a binary predicate to a value and
// turning it into a unary predicate that adds 6
std::transform(v.begin(), v.end(),
deref_pointee(v.begin()),
pointee(std::bind(std::plus<>(), 6, std::placeholders::_1)));
}