Re: [Boost-users] metafunction question

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] metafunction question
From: John Dlugosz (JDlugosz_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-05-12 15:02:46

> is your function an algorithm working WITH the container, or is it a
> function providing access to the container's contents?
> when you derive from a standard container without any additional
> state, it's most likely the former.
> for example, there is no std::vector::sort(), only std::sort(vector...)
> (although it seems to me the standard library doesn't draw a clear
> line there either. a lot of the member functions of std::string should
> have been free function algorithms)
> 


And, container-specific versions of algorithms are available as member functions, rather than just automatically picking up container-specific form based on the iterator.  The reason for that is because the iterators in general don't reference back to the original container.  But, with overloading, should there be a container-based find as well as iterator find algorithms, as opposed to find being a member?

His example is called "find", so probably is a member because the plain find functions are also members of various containers.  If the std::find was an overloaded non-member, he might "naturally" write his that way too.

--John






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