Initialisation of static vector - c++

Question

I wonder if there is the "nicer" way of initialising a static vector than below?
class Foo
{
static std::vector<int> MyVector;
Foo()
{
if (MyVector.empty())
{
MyVector.push_back(4);
MyVector.push_back(17);
MyVector.push_back(20);
}
}
}
It's an example code :)
The values in push_back() are declared independly; not in array or something.
Edit: if it isn't possible, tell me that also :)

Answer 1

In C++03, the easiest way was to use a factory function:
std::vector<int> MakeVector()
{
std::vector v;
v.push_back(4);
v.push_back(17);
v.push_back(20);
return v;
}
std::vector Foo::MyVector = MakeVector(); // can be const if you like
"Return value optimisation" should mean that the array is filled in place, and not copied, if that is a concern. Alternatively, you could initialise from an array:
int a[] = {4,17,20};
std::vector Foo::MyVector(a, a + (sizeof a / sizeof a[0]));
If you don't mind using a non-standard library, you can use Boost.Assignment:
#include <boost/assign/list_of.hpp>
std::vector Foo::MyVector = boost::list_of(4,17,20);
In C++11 or later, you can use brace-initialisation:
std::vector Foo::MyVector = {4,17,20};

Answer 2

With C++11:
//The static keyword is only used with the declaration of a static member,
//inside the class definition, not with the definition of that static member:
std::vector<int> Foo::MyVector = {4, 17, 20};

Answer 3

Typically, I have a class for constructing containers that I use (like this one from boost), such that you can do:
const list<int> primes = list_of(2)(3)(5)(7)(11);
That way, you can make the static const as well, to avoid accidental modifications.
For a static, you could define this in the .cc file:
// Foo.h
class Foo {
static const vector<int> something;
}
// Foo.cc
const vector<int> Foo::something = list_of(3)(5);
In C++Ox, we'll have a language mechanism to do this, using initializer lists, so you could just do:
const vector<int> primes({2, 3, 5, 7, 11});
See here.

Answer 4

You could try this one:
int arr[] = { 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 };
MyVector.insert(MyVector.begin(), arr, &arr[sizeof(arr)/ sizeof(*arr)]);
But it's probably only worth when you have a really long vector, and it doesn't look much nicer, either. However, you get rid of the repeated push_back() calls. Of course, if your values are "not in an array" you'd have to put them into there first, but you'd be able to do that statically (or at least references/pointers), depending on the context.

Answer 5

How about initializing using a static object. In its constuctor it
could call a static function in the object to do the initalization.

Answer 6

with boost you can use the +=() operator defined in the boost::assign namespace.
#include <boost/assign.hpp>
using namespace boost::assign;
int main()
{
static std::vector<int> MyVector;
MyVector += 4,17,20;
return 0;
}
or with static initialization:
#include <boost/assign.hpp>
using namespace boost::assign;
static std::vector<int> myVector = list_of(4)(17)(2);
int main()
{
return 0;
}
or even better, if your compiler supports C++ 11, use initialization lists.