Alterative array representation - c++

Question

I'm facing a problem in C++ for which I currently don't have an elegant solution. I'm receiving data in the following format:
typedef struct {
int x;
int y;
int z;
}Data3D;
vector<Data3D> v; // the way data is received (can be modified)
But the functions that do the computations receive parameters like this:
Compute(int *x, int *y, int *z, unsigned nPoints)
{...}
Is there a way to modify the way data is received Data3D so that the memory representation would change from:
XYZXYZXYZ
to
XXXYYYZZZ
What I'm looking for is some way of populating a data structure in a similar way we populate an array but that has the representation above (XXXYYYZZZ). Any custom data structures are welcome.
So I want to write something like (in the above example):
v[0].x = 1
v[0].y = 2
v[0].y = 0
v[1].x = 6
v[1].y = 7
v[1].z = 5
and to have the memory representation below
1,6...2,7....0,5
1,6 is the beginning of the x array
2,7 is the beginning of the y array
0,5 is the beginning of the z array
I know that this can be solved by using a temporary array but I'm interested to know if there are other methods for doing this.
Thanks,
Iulian
LATER EDIT:
Since there are some solutions that change only the declaration of Compute function without changing its code - this should be taken into account also. See the answers related to the solution that involves using an iterator.

Answer 1

Iterator-based solution
An elegant solution would be to make Compute() accept iterators instead of pointers. The iterators you provide will have an adequate ++ operator (see boost::iterator for an easy way to build them)
Compute(MyIterator x, MyIterator y, MyIterator z);
There are normally very few changes to make to the function body, since *x, x[i] or ++x will be handled by MyIterator to point to the right memory location.
Quick'n Dirty solution
A less elegant but more straightforward solution is to hold your Data in the following struct
typedef struct {
std::vector<int> x;
std::vector<int> y;
std::vector<int> z;
}DataArray3D;
When receiving the data fill your struct like
void Receive(const Data3D& data, DataArray3D& array)
{
array.x.push_back(data.x);
array.y.push_back(data.y);
array.z.push_back(data.z);
}
and call Compute like this (Compute itself is unchanged)
Compute(&array.x[0], &array.y[0], &array.z[0]);

Answer 2

You could of course change your computer function.
I assume that all operation done on your int* in compute are dereference and increment operation.
I did not test it but you could pass in a structure like this
struct IntIterator
{
int* m_currentPos;
IntIterator(int* startPos):m_currentPos(startPos){};
IntIterator& operator++()
{
m_currentPos += 3;
return *this;
}
IntIterator& operator++(int)
{
m_currentPos += 3;
return *this;
}
int operator*()
{
return *m_currentPos;
}
int& operator[](const int index)
{
return m_currentPos[index*3];
}
};
And initialize it with this
std::vector<Data3D> v;
IntIterator it(&v[0].x);
Now all you need to do is change the type of your compute function arguments and it should do it. If of course some pointer arithmetics are used than it is getting more complex.

Answer 3

Reasonably elegant would be (not compiled/tested):
struct TempReprPoints
{
TempReprPoints(size_t size)
{
x.reserve(size); y.reserve(size); z.reserve(size);
}
TempReprPoints(const vector<Data3D> &v)
{
x.reserve(v.size()); y.reserve(v.size()); z.reserve(v.size());
for (size_t i = 0; i < v.size(); ++i ) push_back(v[i]);
}
void push_back(const Data3D& data)
{
x.push_back(data.x); y.push_back(data.y); z.push_back(data.z);
}
int* getX() { return &x[0]; }
int* getY() { return &y[0]; }
int* getZ() { return &z[0]; }
size_t size() { return x.size(); }
std::vector<int> x;
std::vector<int> y;
std::vector<int> z;
};
So you can fill it with a loop or even try to make the std::back_inserter work with it.

Answer 4

In order to get the syntax you want, you could use something like this.
struct Foo {
vector<int> x;
vector<int> y;
vector<int> z;
struct FooAccessor {
FooAccessor(Foo & f, int i) : x(f.x[i]), y(f.y[i]), z(f.z[i]) {}
int &x, &y, &z;
};
FooAccessor operator[](int i) {
return FooAccessor(*this, i);
}
};
int main() {
Foo f;
f.x.resize(10);
f.y.resize(10);
f.z.resize(10);
f[0].x = 1;
f[1].y = 2;
f[2].z = 3;
for (size_t p = 0; p < 10; ++p) {
cout << f.x[p] << "," << f.y[p] << "," << f.z[p] << endl;
}
}
I'd consider this an ugly solution - changing the way you access your data would likely be "better".