Re: [boost] iterator::operator[]

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-08-23 13:32:06

From: "Andrew Koenig" <ark_at_[hidden]>

>         iter[integer]
>         iter + integer    (and integer + iter)
>         iter - iter
>
> Either of the first two operations can substitute for the other,
> so the real question is whether the second is much more common than
> the first.  I suspect it isn't.

I don't think that's the real question at all.

The problem is that the return type of operator[] can't be relied on to be
a reference, and in particular you can't do

    p[n] = x;

with a generic random-access iterator.

    *(p + n) = x;

always works (for sufficiently correct values of n and x).

-----------------------------------------------------------
           David Abrahams * Boost Consulting
dave_at_[hidden] * http://www.boost-consulting.com