how to link two template classes in many-to-many friendship? - c++

assume that I have the following two template classes :
template <class _A>
class First
{
private:
int a;
};
template <class _B>
class Second
{
private:
int b;
};
how can I link them in many-to-many friendship. for example, adding a method in First that prints b of a parameter object of Second.
is my question clear?

template <typename T>
class First {
int a;
template<typename> friend class Second;
};
template <typename T>
class Second
{
int b;
template<typename> friend class First;
};
This will enable every First<T> to access the internals of every Second<U>. Now, while this is the technical solution, you might want to consider whether a design with cyclic dependencies and opening up the internal to any instantiation of the other class is the best solution to your particular problem.
BTW, if you only want to grant First<int> access to Second<int> (and not Second<double>) you can do that like so:
template <typename> class Second;
template <typename T>
class First {
int a;
friend class Second<T>; // only befriend the same instantiation
};
template <typename T>
class Second {
int b;
friend class First<T>;
};
In this second version you need the forward declaration of the Second template before befriending a particular instantiation, but this allows you to grant access to the internals of the class only to a particular instantiation.

Assuming you understand protection, is the issue forward declaration of templates:
#include <iostream>
template <class _B> class Second; // Forward declare
template <class _A>
class First
{
public:
template<class _B>
void print(const Second<_B>& b)
{
std::cout << b.b << std::endl;
}
int a;
};
template <class _B>
class Second
{
public:
int b;
};
void testIt()
{
Second<double> sd;
First<int >fi;
fi.print<double>(sd);
}

You could start off with a declaration of each class:
template< typename T > class First;
template< typename T > class Second;
And now both classes will know about the other one in their definitions. You can declare them as friends there if you need to.
template< typename T > class First
{
template< typename U> friend class Second;
};
and the same in reverse.
You can also implement function bodies under the class definitions if they need to see each other's details, i.e. they cannot use a "forward declaration" copy.

Related

In C++ can one friend a template class in a non template class for ALL specializations of the template class? [duplicate]

Let's say I'm creating a class for a binary tree, BT, and I have a class which describes an element of the tree, BE, something like
template<class T> class BE {
T *data;
BE *l, *r;
public:
...
template<class U> friend class BT;
};
template<class T> class BT {
BE<T> *root;
public:
...
private:
...
};
This appears to work; however I have questions about what's going on underneath.
I originally tried to declare the friend as
template<class T> friend class BT;
however it appears necessary to use U (or something other than T) here, why is this? Does it imply that any particular BT is friend to any particular BE class?
The IBM page on templates and friends has examples of different type of friend relationships for functions but not classes (and guessing a syntax hasn't converged on the solution yet). I would prefer to understand how to get the specifications correct for the type of friend relationship I wish to define.
template<class T> class BE{
template<class T> friend class BT;
};
Is not allowed because template parameters cannot shadow each other. Nested templates must have different template parameter names.
template<typename T>
struct foo {
template<typename U>
friend class bar;
};
This means that bar is a friend of foo regardless of bar's template arguments. bar<char>, bar<int>, bar<float>, and any other bar would be friends of foo<char>.
template<typename T>
struct foo {
friend class bar<T>;
};
This means that bar is a friend of foo when bar's template argument matches foo's. Only bar<char> would be a friend of foo<char>.
In your case, friend class bar<T>; should be sufficient.
In order to befriend another same-type struct:
#include <iostream>
template<typename T_>
struct Foo
{
// Without this next line source.value_ later would be inaccessible.
template<typename> friend struct Foo;
Foo(T_ value) : value_(value) {}
template <typename AltT>
void display(AltT &&source) const
{
std::cout << "My value is " << value_ << " and my friend's value is " << source.value_ << ".\n";
}
protected:
T_ value_;
};
int main()
{
Foo<int> foo1(5);
Foo<std::string> foo2("banana");
foo1.display(foo2);
return 0;
}
With the output as follows:
My value is 5 and my friend's value is banana.
In template<typename> friend struct Foo; you shouldn't write T after typename/class otherwise it will cause a template param shadowing error.
It's not necessary to name the parameters so you get fewer points of failure if refactoring:
template <typename _KeyT, typename _ValueT> class hash_map_iterator{
template <typename, typename, int> friend class hash_map;
...
The best way to make a template class a friend of a template class is the following:
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
template<typename T>
class B;
template<typename T>
class A
{
friend class B<T>;
private:
int height;
public:
A()//constructor
A(T val) //overloaded constructor
};
template<typename T>
class B
{
private:
...
public:
B()//constructor
B(T val) //overloaded constructor
};
In my case this solution works correctly:
template <typename T>
class DerivedClass1 : public BaseClass1 {
template<class T> friend class DerivedClass2;
private:
int a;
};
template <typename T>
class DerivedClass2 : public BaseClass1 {
void method() { this->i;}
};
I hope it will be helpful.

Template Class Specialization: Additional Members

I am trying to create a template class. But based on its data type, it should have an additional member variable. I've been trying different methods but could not find a solution.
Basically, the class will have 2 member variables: a and b. But if DataType is not void, it should have an extra member called data.
How can I achieve this?
#include <type_traits>
template <typename DataType>
class MyClass {
public:
int a;
char b;
};
template <typename DataType, typename std::enable_if<false == std::is_same<DataType, void>::value>::type>
class MyClass {
DataType data;
};
But if DataType is not void, it should have an extra member called data. - so void seems to be a specialization.
template <typename DataType>
class MyClass {
public:
int a;
char b;
DataType data;
};
template <>
class MyClass<void> {
public:
int a;
char b;
};
If I understood correctly, there is a way to "extend" your class members, if you "don't want to repeat yourself":
template <typename DataType>
class MyClass;
template <>
class MyClass<void> {
public:
int a;
char b;
};
template <typename DataType>
class MyClass : public MyClass<void> {
public:
DataType data;
};
But void is still not your primary template, but a specialization. Since, different specializations are completelly different types in the end, you can publically inherit a specialization in your primary class template definition, thus extending those members.

C++ How to specify all friends of a templated class with a default argument?

To define a friend of a templated class with a default argument, do you need to specify all friends as in the code below (which works)?
// Different class implementations
enum ClassImplType { CIT_CHECK, CIT_FAST, CIT_GPU, CIT_SSE, CIT_NOF_TYPES } ;
// Graph class has default template argument CIT_CHECK
template <typename T, ClassImplType impl_type = CIT_CHECK>
class graph {
//...
};
// Vertex class
template <typename T>
class vertex {
//...
friend class graph<T, CIT_CHECK>;
friend class graph<T, CIT_FAST>;
friend class graph<T, CIT_GPU>;
friend class graph<T, CIT_SSE>;
};
I can imagine that there is a shorter way to denote that the friend is defined for all possible ClassImplType enum values. Something like friend class graph<T, ClassImplType>, but the latter doesn't work of course.
Apologies if the terminology I use is incorrect.
I can imagine that there is a shorter way to denote that the friend is defined for all possible ClassImplType enum values.
Sadly, there really isn't. You might try with
template<ClassImplType I> friend class graph<T, I>;
but the standard simply forbids one to befriend partial specializations:
§14.5.4 [temp.friend] p8
Friend declarations shall not declare partial specializations. [ Example:
template<class T> class A { };
class X {
template<class T> friend class A<T*>; // error
};
—end example ]
You can only either befriend them all:
template<class U, ClassImplType I>
friend class graph;
Or a specific one:
friend class graph<T /*, optional-second-arg*/>;
I can't see how befriending all possible specializations might cause a problem here, to be honest, but let's assume it does. One workaround I know would be using the passkey pattern, though we'll use a slightly cut-down version (we can't use the allow mechanism here, since it doesn't work well for allowing access to all specializations of a template):
template<class T>
class passkey{
passkey(){}
friend T;
// optional
//passkey(passkey const&) = delete;
//passkey(passkey&&) = delete;
};
// Different class implementations
enum ClassImplType { CIT_CHECK, CIT_FAST, CIT_GPU, CIT_SSE, CIT_NOF_TYPES } ;
template<class> struct vertex;
// Graph class has default template argument CIT_CHECK
template <typename T, ClassImplType impl_type = CIT_CHECK>
class graph {
public:
void call_f(vertex<T>& v){ v.f(passkey<graph>()); }
//...
};
// Vertex class
template <typename T>
class vertex {
//...
public:
template<ClassImplType I>
void f(passkey<graph<T,I>>){}
};
Live example with tests.
You'll note that you need to make all functionality that graph needs to access public, but that's not a problem thanks to the passkeys, which can only ever be created by the specified graph specializations.
You can also go farther and create a proxy class which can be used to access the vertex functionality (only graph changes):
// Graph class has default template argument CIT_CHECK
template <typename T, ClassImplType impl_type = CIT_CHECK>
class graph{
typedef passkey<graph> key;
// proxy for succinct multiple operations
struct vertex_access{
vertex_access(vertex<T>& v, key k)
: _v(v), _key(k){}
void f(){ _v.f(_key); }
private:
vertex<T>& _v;
key _key;
};
public:
void call_f(vertex<T>& v){
vertex_access va(v, key());
va.f(); va.f(); va.f();
// or
v.f(key());
}
//...
};
Live example.
You can template the friend statement:
template<typename U, ClassImplType V>
friend class graph_foo;
I'm trying to figure out how to keep the T - I'll update if I find out.
I thought of the following way to 'fix it' by using recursive inheritance.
Inline comments explain what's happening:
#include <type_traits>
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
#include <typeinfo>
// Different class implementations
enum ClassImplType { CIT_CHECK, CIT_FAST, CIT_GPU, CIT_SSE, CIT_NOF_TYPES };
template <typename T, ClassImplType impl_type = CIT_CHECK>
class graph;
// Vertex class
namespace impl
{
template <typename, ClassImplType, typename enabler = void> struct vertex_impl;
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// actual implementation (stop condition of recursion)
static const ClassImplType CIT_ENDMARKER = (ClassImplType) -1;
template <typename T> struct vertex_impl<T, CIT_ENDMARKER>
{
protected: // make it protected rather than private
int secret() const { return 42; }
};
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// recursion, just to mark friends
template <typename T, ClassImplType impl_type>
struct vertex_impl<T, impl_type, typename std::enable_if<CIT_ENDMARKER != impl_type>::type>
: public vertex_impl<T, ClassImplType(impl_type - 1)>
{
friend class ::graph<T, impl_type>;
};
}
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Public typedef
#if 1
template <typename T> struct vertex : impl::vertex_impl<T, CIT_NOF_TYPES> { };
#else // or c++11
template <typename T> using vertex = impl::vertex_impl<T, CIT_NOF_TYPES>;
#endif
template <typename T, ClassImplType impl_type>
class graph
{
public:
static void TestFriendOf(const vertex<T>& byref)
{
std::cout << byref.secret() << std::endl;
}
};
int main(int argc, const char *argv[])
{
vertex<int> t;
graph<int, CIT_CHECK> :: TestFriendOf(t);
graph<int, CIT_FAST> :: TestFriendOf(t);
graph<int, CIT_GPU> :: TestFriendOf(t);
graph<int, CIT_SSE> :: TestFriendOf(t);
graph<int, CIT_NOF_TYPES> :: TestFriendOf(t);
}
This works on gcc and clang.
See it live on http://liveworkspace.org/code/f03c0e25a566a4ca44500f4aaecdd354
PS. This doesn't exactly solve any verbosity issues at first sight, but you could make the solution more generic, and inherit from a different 'base-case' instead of the hard-coded one, in which case the boileplate could potentially be compensated for (in case you have many classes that need to befriend families of graph types)
Class cannot become friend of partial specialization according to this "non-bug" explanation: http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=5094
What clenches it is that 14.5.3, p9
explicitly prohibits friend declarations of partial specializations:
-9- Friend declarations shall not declare partial specializations.
[Example:
template<class T> class A { };
class X {
template<class T> friend class A<T*>; // error
};
容nd example]
But I come to the solution, which does not look perfect, neither it is easy to use. The idea is to create intermediate friend inner class, just to forward "friendship" to outer class. The disadvantage (or advantage?) is that one has to wrap all function/member variables which shall be available to outer friend:
// Different class implementations
enum ClassImplType { CIT_CHECK, CIT_FAST, CIT_GPU, CIT_SSE, CIT_NOF_TYPES } ;
template <typename T>
class vertex;
// Graph class has default template argument CIT_CHECK
template <typename T, ClassImplType impl_type = CIT_CHECK>
class graph {
typedef typename vertex<T>::template graph_friend<impl_type> graph_friend;
public:
graph(vertex<T>& a) { graph_friend::foo(a); } // here call private method
//...
};
// Vertex class
template <typename T>
class vertex {
//...
int foo() {}
public:
template <ClassImplType impl_type>
class graph_friend {
static int foo(vertex& v) { return v.foo(); }
friend class graph<T,impl_type>;
};
};
int main() {
vertex<int> a;
graph<int,CIT_SSE> b(a);
}

friend function of a templated class needs access to member type

I need to define a friend function for the templated class. The function has
return type that is a member type of the class. Now, I can not declare it beforehand, since the the return type is not known at the time. Something like this
template<class T> class A;
//This doesn't work: error: need ‘typename’ before...
template<class T> A<T>::member_type fcn(A<T>::member_type);
//This doesn't work: error: template declaration of ‘typename...
template<class T> typename A<T>::member_type fcn(A<T>::member_type);
template<class T>
class A{
public:
typedef int member_type;
friend member_type fcn<T>(member_type);
};
How do I do this?
I managed to compile that code on g++ using :
template<class T> typename A<T>::member_type fcn(typename A<T>::member_type);
(Thus a second 'typename' was required)
You need to say typename also in the argument:
template <class T>
typename A<T>::member_type fcn(typename A<T>::member_type);
// ^^^^^^^^
Otherwise there's no problem with your code, as long as all the template definitions appear before the function template is first instantiated.
It seems that in your particular example nothing in fcn function actually depends on class A. It doesn't even need to access any of the A's methods/fields, neither public nor protected/private. So it doesn't make sense. It would have made some sense otherwise, but at any rate it seems like it is worth re-thinking your problem and come up with a cleaner solution that does not need a hack like that. If, after a deep thought, you still believe you need it, you can do something like this:
#include <cstdio>
template<typename T> typename T::member_type fcn(const T & v) {
return v.value_;
}
template<class T>
class A {
public:
typedef T member_type;
friend member_type fcn< A<T> >(const A<T> &);
A() : value_(1986) {}
private:
T value_;
};
int main()
{
A<int> a;
printf("The value is: %d\n", fcn(a));
}
Notable thing in the above example is that you need to de-couple a cross dependency and make your free-function not depend on a declaration of class A. If you still feel like you need that coupling, the following code works, too:
#include <cstdio>
template <typename T>
class A;
template <typename T> typename A<T>::member_type fcn(const A<T> & v) {
return v.value_;
}
template <typename T>
class A {
public:
typedef int member_type;
friend member_type fcn<T>(const A<T> &);
A() : value_(1986) {}
private:
member_type value_;
};
int main()
{
A<void> a;
printf("The value is: %d\n", fcn(a));
}
Hope it helps. Good Luck!
This may by now be redundant with someone else's answer, but here's a complete, testable solution. The final function definition is a template specialization of fcn, which will produce a compiler error indicating that A<double>::x is not accessible from fcn<int>, but A<int>::x is accessible.
template<class T> class A;
template <typename U>
typename A<U>::member_type fcn(typename A<U>::member_type);
template<class T>
class A {
int x;
public:
typedef int member_type;
friend typename A<T>::member_type fcn<T>(typename A<T>::member_type);
};
template<>
int fcn<int>(int x)
{
A<int> i;
A<double> d;
i.x = 0; // permitted
d.x = 0; // forbidden
return 0;
}

C++ Templates: Partial Template Specifications and Friend Classes

is it possible to somehow make a partial template specification a friend class? I.e. consider you have the following template class
template <class T> class X{
T t;
};
Now you have partial specializations, for example, for pointers
template <class T> class X<T*>{
T* t;
};
What I want to accomplish is that every possible X<T*> is a friend class of X<S> for ANY S. I.e. X<A*> should be a friend of X<B>.
Of course, I thought about a usual template friend declaration in X:
template <class T> class X{
template <class S> friend class X<S*>;
}
However, this does not compile, g++ tells me this:
test4.cpp:34:15: error: specialization of 'template<class T> class X' must appear at namespace scope
test4.cpp:34:21: error: partial specialization 'X<S*>' declared 'friend'
Is this not possible at all or is there some workaround?
The reason why I am asking is that I need a constructor in X<T*> that creates this class from an arbitrary X<S> (S must be a subtype of T).
The code looks like this:
template <class T> class X<T*>{
T* t;
template<class S>
X(X<S> x) : t(&(x.t)) {} //Error, x.t is private
}
Now, the compiler complains, of course, that x.t is not visibile in the constructor since it is private. This is why I need a partial specialization friend class.
In C++, you can grant access beyond private on four levels.
completely public access (see pmr's answer)
access within inheritance hierarchy (protected, irrelevant here)
to a base template friend (see this answer)
to a non-template or fully specialized friend (too weak to solve your use case)
There is no middle way between the two latter kinds of friendship.
From §14.5.4 of the C++ standard:.
Friend declarations shall not declare partial specializations.
The following declaration will allow you to implement what you need. It gives you a free hand to access any specialization of your template from any other specialization, but still only within X. It is slightly more permissive than what you asked for.
template<class T> class X
{
template<class Any> friend class X;
public:
...
};
We can define a getter protected by a key defined in X.
#include <type_traits>
template <class T> class X{
T t;
public:
struct Key {
template<typename S>
Key(const X<S>&) {
static_assert(std::is_pointer<S>::value, "Not a pointer");
}
};
const T& get(Key) const { return t; }
T& get(Key) { return t; }
};
template <class T> class X<T*> {
T* t;
public:
template<class S>
X(X<S>& x) : t(&(x.get(typename X<S>::Key(*this)))) {}
};
int main()
{
X<int> x1;
X<int*> x2(x1);
return 0;
}
This still has some weakness. Everybody with an X<T*> can now use
get. But this is so obfuscated by now, that no one is goiing to
realize that. I'd choose a simple public getter.