How to print a map? And make it a global variable? C++ - c++

Question

For Windows 7 64-bit
So I set up my map
map<string, string> database;
database["user"] = "123";
It's part of the main function, but how can I print the contents of the map? And most importantly how can it be turned into a global variable so I can use it by other functions? I'm trying to put my printing map process in a different function than where the map was made.

Answer 1

You can iterate through map with following code:
for(auto it = database.begin(); it != database.end(); ++it) {
// it->first is your key
// it->second is value of particular key
std::cout << "Key: " << it->first << std::endl;
std::cout << "Value: " << it->second << std::endl;
// value can be reached as follows as well
std::cout << "Value: " << database[it->first] << std::endl;
}

Answer 2

Try this:
#include <map>
#include <iostream>
// this will be a global variable
map<string, string> database;
int main()
{
database["user"] = "123";
map<string, string>::iterator it;
for(it = database.begin(); it!= database.end(); it++)
{
pair<string, string> p = *it;
cout << "key=\"" << p.first << "\" value=\"" << p.second << "\"" << endl;
}
}

Answer 3

I'd advise to use C++11 features, like for_each, range based begin and end and lambda:
std::for_each(std::begin(database), std::end(database),
[&database](std::pair<std::string, std::string> p) {
std::cout << "Key : " << p.first << "\tValue : " << p.second << std::endl;
});
Second I'd avoid to make your map a global variable. There are reasons for global definitions, but for a container? (This maybe depends how big your project is, but I'd say let's get rid of any global variable, and if it is really needed put it inside a namespace)
Why not encapsulate your map into a class and provide functions to alter the content of your map, even your printing facility? If you want to make sure, that every user of your class shall have the same content of the map (translated this means the same instance), you can turn your class into a singleton.

Answer 4

If you have C++1 available (and as a sidenote to Stefan's answer: You don't actually need std::for_each or lambdas in C++11), iteration can be done using range based for:
for ( std::pair<std::string,std::string> const &p : database)
std::cout << "key=\"" << p.first << "\" value=\"" << p.second << "\"" << std::endl;
If you want to use it in other functions, think about several things instead of making the variable global:
Aggreate/incapsulate all functions using the database in a class
Pass the map object to your functions