c++ boost interprocess exchange (copy) non-shared and shared string vector

Question

I want to achieve what was achieved in the answer to this question, but for a vector of strings i.e. string objects. I want to be able to write common code that can be used with either heap memory or shared memory. I have emulated the code and wrote a class to implement a vector of strings that would work for with both heap memory or shared memory. I got it working for the most part. However, when I try to initialize/create a shared memory vector of strings from a heap allocated vector of strings I am getting compile errors. In the question referenced above, shared memory vector was initialized from non-shared memory vector (to quote "this works because of ... MAGIC!"). Not sure if its because that question was dealing with a vector of ints which are easily copyable and movable. I have provided the copy constructor for the shared memory string class but it still doesn't work. I've provided my code below (commented out the code that's giving me compilation errors). Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

#include <boost/interprocess/managed_shared_memory.hpp>
#include <boost/interprocess/allocators/allocator.hpp>
#include <boost/interprocess/containers/vector.hpp>
#include <boost/interprocess/containers/string.hpp>
#include <boost/container/scoped_allocator.hpp>
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <sstream>

namespace bip = boost::interprocess;

namespace generic
{

template <typename T, typename Alloc/* = std::allocator<T>*/ >
using vector = bip::vector<T, typename Alloc::template rebind<T>::other >;

template <typename Alloc/* = std::allocator<T>*/ >
using GenericString = bip::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>
                           , typename Alloc::template rebind<char>::other>;

template <typename Alloc>
class String
{
public:
  typedef Alloc allocator_type; // ties in with uses_allocator/scoped_allocator

  String(Alloc alloc = Alloc())
  : mString(alloc)
  {
  }

  String(const std::string str, Alloc alloc = Alloc())
  : mString(str.c_str(), alloc)
  {
  }

  String(const char* str, Alloc alloc = Alloc())
  : mString(str, alloc)
  {
  }

  template <typename OtherAlloc>
  String(String<OtherAlloc> const& other, Alloc alloc = Alloc())
  : mString(other.mString.begin(), other.mString.end(), alloc)
  {
  }

  std::string ToString() { return std::string(mString.begin(), mString.end()); }

  friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const String& str)
  {
    os << str.mString;
    return os;
  }

private:
  template<typename OtherAlloc> friend struct String;
  GenericString<Alloc> mString;
};

template <typename Alloc>
class StringVector
{
public:
  typedef Alloc allocator_type; // ties in with uses_allocator/scoped_allocator
  typedef vector<String<Alloc>, Alloc> GenericStringVector;
  using Iterator = typename GenericStringVector::iterator;
  using ConstIterator = typename GenericStringVector::const_iterator;

  StringVector(Alloc alloc = Alloc())
  : mStrings(alloc)
  {
  }

  template <typename OtherAlloc>
  StringVector(StringVector<OtherAlloc> const& other, Alloc alloc = Alloc())
  : mStrings(other.mStrings.begin(), other.mStrings.end(), alloc)
  {
  }

  void Add(const String<Alloc> str) { mStrings.emplace_back(str); }

  void Remove(Iterator iter) { mStrings.erase(iter); }

  void Clear() { mStrings.clear(); }

  void Print() const
  {
    std::cout << "[";
    for (ConstIterator it = mStrings.begin(); it != mStrings.end(); it++)
      std::cout << (it == mStrings.begin() ? "" : ", ") << *it;
    std::cout << "]\n";
  }

private:
  template<typename OtherAlloc> friend struct StringVector;
  GenericStringVector mStrings;
};

}

namespace heap
{
  using VAlloc = std::allocator<void>;
  using String = generic::String<VAlloc>;
  using StringVector = generic::StringVector<VAlloc>;
}

namespace shared
{
  using VAlloc =boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<
          bip::allocator<void, bip::managed_shared_memory::segment_manager> >;

  using String = generic::String<VAlloc>;
  using StringVector = generic::StringVector<VAlloc>;
}

int main(void)
{
  struct shm_remove {
      shm_remove()  { bip::shared_memory_object::remove("MySharedMemory"); }
      ~shm_remove() { bip::shared_memory_object::remove("MySharedMemory"); }
  } remover;

  std::cout << "Heap based storage: \n";
  heap::StringVector svec;

  svec.Add(heap::String("test1"));
  svec.Add(heap::String("test2"));
  svec.Add(heap::String("test3"));
  svec.Add(heap::String("test4"));
  svec.Print();

  std::cout << "Shared memory storage: \n";
  bip::managed_shared_memory seg(bip::create_only, "MySharedMemory", 65536);
  shared::VAlloc shalloc(seg.get_segment_manager());

  shared::StringVector sh_svec(shalloc);
  sh_svec.Add(shared::String("test1", shalloc));
  sh_svec.Add(shared::String("test2", shalloc));
  sh_svec.Add(shared::String("test3", shalloc));
  sh_svec.Add(shared::String("test4", shalloc));
  sh_svec.Print();


  shared::StringVector sh_svec2(sh_svec, shalloc);
  sh_svec2.Print();

  //shared::StringVector sh_svec3(svec, shalloc);   // gives compile error :(
  //sh_svec3.Print();
}

Including compilation errors:

In file included from src/test_string_vector.cc:5:0:
/usr/include/boost/container/scoped_allocator.hpp: In instantiation of ‘boost::container::container_detail::scoped_allocator_adaptor_base<OuterAlloc>::scoped_allocator_adaptor_base() [with OuterAlloc = boost::interprocess::allocator<void, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> >]’:
/usr/include/boost/container/scoped_allocator.hpp:963:7:   required from ‘boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<OuterAlloc, InnerAllocs>::scoped_allocator_adaptor() [with OuterAlloc = boost::interprocess::allocator<void, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> >; InnerAllocs = {}]’
/usr/include/boost/container/vector.hpp:1174:15:   required from ‘void boost::container::vector<T, Allocator>::assign(FwdIt, FwdIt, typename boost::container::container_detail::enable_if_c<((! boost::container::container_detail::is_convertible<InIt, typename boost::container::allocator_traits<Allocator>::size_type>::value) && ((! boost::container::container_detail::is_input_iterator<InIt>::value) && (! boost::move_detail::is_same<typename boost::container::container_detail::version<Allocator>::type, boost::container::container_detail::integral_constant<unsigned int, 0u> >::value)))>::type*) [with FwdIt = boost::container::container_detail::vec_iterator<generic::String<std::allocator<void> >*, true>; T = generic::String<boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<boost::interprocess::allocator<void, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> > > >; Allocator = boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<boost::interprocess::allocator<generic::String<boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<boost::interprocess::allocator<void, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> > > >, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> > >; typename boost::container::container_detail::enable_if_c<((! boost::container::container_detail::is_convertible<InIt, typename boost::container::allocator_traits<Allocator>::size_type>::value) && ((! boost::container::container_detail::is_input_iterator<InIt>::value) && (! boost::move_detail::is_same<typename boost::container::container_detail::version<Allocator>::type, boost::container::container_detail::integral_constant<unsigned int, 0u> >::value)))>::type = void]’
/usr/include/boost/container/vector.hpp:864:7:   required from ‘boost::container::vector<T, Allocator>::vector(InIt, InIt, const allocator_type&) [with InIt = boost::container::container_detail::vec_iterator<generic::String<std::allocator<void> >*, true>; T = generic::String<boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<boost::interprocess::allocator<void, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> > > >; Allocator = boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<boost::interprocess::allocator<generic::String<boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<boost::interprocess::allocator<void, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> > > >, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> > >; boost::container::vector<T, Allocator>::allocator_type = boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<boost::interprocess::allocator<generic::String<boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<boost::interprocess::allocator<void, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> > > >, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> > >]’
src/test_string_vector.cc:78:65:   required from ‘generic::StringVector<Alloc>::StringVector(const generic::StringVector<OtherAlloc>&, Alloc) [with OtherAlloc = std::allocator<void>; Alloc = boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<boost::interprocess::allocator<void, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> > >]’
src/test_string_vector.cc:151:46:   required from here
/usr/include/boost/container/scoped_allocator.hpp:762:7: error: no matching function for call to ‘boost::interprocess::allocator<void, boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index> >::allocator()’
       {}
       ^
In file included from /usr/include/boost/interprocess/segment_manager.hpp:38:0,
                 from /usr/include/boost/interprocess/detail/managed_memory_impl.hpp:30,
                 from /usr/include/boost/interprocess/managed_shared_memory.hpp:25,
                 from src/test_string_vector.cc:1:
/usr/include/boost/interprocess/allocators/allocator.hpp:142:4: note: candidate: template<class T2> boost::interprocess::allocator<T, SegmentManager>::allocator(const boost::interprocess::allocator<T2, SegmentManager>&)
    allocator(const allocator<T2, SegmentManager> &other)
    ^
/usr/include/boost/interprocess/allocators/allocator.hpp:142:4: note:   template argument deduction/substitution failed:
In file included from src/test_string_vector.cc:5:0:
/usr/include/boost/container/scoped_allocator.hpp:762:7: note:   candidate expects 1 argument, 0 provided
       {}
       ^
In file included from /usr/include/boost/interprocess/segment_manager.hpp:38:0,
                 from /usr/include/boost/interprocess/detail/managed_memory_impl.hpp:30,
                 from /usr/include/boost/interprocess/managed_shared_memory.hpp:25,
                 from src/test_string_vector.cc:1:
/usr/include/boost/interprocess/allocators/allocator.hpp:136:4: note: candidate: boost::interprocess::allocator<T, SegmentManager>::allocator(const boost::interprocess::allocator<T, SegmentManager>&) [with T = void; SegmentManager = boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index>]
    allocator(const allocator &other)
    ^
/usr/include/boost/interprocess/allocators/allocator.hpp:136:4: note:   candidate expects 1 argument, 0 provided
/usr/include/boost/interprocess/allocators/allocator.hpp:131:4: note: candidate: boost::interprocess::allocator<T, SegmentManager>::allocator(boost::interprocess::allocator<T, SegmentManager>::segment_manager*) [with T = void; SegmentManager = boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index>; boost::interprocess::allocator<T, SegmentManager>::segment_manager = boost::interprocess::segment_manager<char, boost::interprocess::rbtree_best_fit<boost::interprocess::mutex_family>, boost::interprocess::iset_index>]
    allocator(segment_manager *segment_mngr)
    ^
/usr/include/boost/interprocess/allocators/allocator.hpp:131:4: note:   candidate expects 1 argument, 0 provided
Makefile:16: recipe for target 'obj/test_string_vector.o' failed
make: *** [obj/test_string_vector.o] Error 1

Answer 1

I think I understand your intent now . you want this piece of code where OtherAlloc = std::allocator , Alloc = bi:allocator

template <typename OtherAlloc>
  StringVector(StringVector<OtherAlloc> const& other, Alloc alloc = Alloc())
  : mStrings(other.mStrings.begin(), other.mStrings.end(), alloc)
  {
  }

to call a copy constructor you provided to convert from heap to shared type

 template <typename OtherAlloc>
  String(String<OtherAlloc> const& other, Alloc alloc = Alloc())
  : mString(other.mString.begin(), other.mString.end(), alloc)
  {
  }

But boost::interprocess::vector::assign(first,last) does not pass instance of your allocator , and it looks like it uses Alloc alloc = Alloc() where Alloc = boost::interprocess::allocator and it does not have default constructor. It correlates to all my posts :-) I will try writing my code tomorrow , very challenging puzzle.

I have modified your code today please see below and see if you like it.

#include <boost/interprocess/managed_shared_memory.hpp>
#include <boost/interprocess/allocators/allocator.hpp>
#include <boost/interprocess/containers/vector.hpp>
#include <boost/interprocess/containers/string.hpp>
#include <boost/container/scoped_allocator.hpp>
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <sstream>
#include <algorithm>

namespace bip = boost::interprocess;

namespace generic
{

template <typename T, typename Alloc/* = std::allocator<T>*/ >
using vector = bip::vector<T, typename Alloc::template rebind<T>::other >;

template <typename Alloc/* = std::allocator<T>*/ >
using GenericString = bip::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>
                           , typename Alloc::template rebind<char>::other>;

template <typename Alloc>
class String
{
public:
  typedef Alloc allocator_type; // ties in with uses_allocator/scoped_allocator

  template<typename ...T>
  String(const std::string &str, T && ...t)
  : alloc_(std::forward<T>(t)...) , mString(str.c_str(), alloc_)
  {}

  template<typename ...T>
  String(const char* str, T && ...t)
  : alloc_(std::forward<T>(t)...) , mString(str, alloc_)
  {}

  template <typename OtherAlloc, typename ...T>
  String(String<OtherAlloc> const& other, T && ...t)
  : alloc_(std::forward<T>(t)...) , mString(other.mString.begin(), other.mString.end(), alloc_)
  {}

  std::string ToString() { return std::string(mString.begin(), mString.end()); }

  friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const String& str)
  {
    os << str.mString;
    return os;
  }

private:
  template<typename OtherAlloc> friend struct String;
  Alloc alloc_;
  GenericString<Alloc> mString;
};

template <typename Alloc>
class StringVector
{
public:
  typedef Alloc allocator_type; // ties in with uses_allocator/scoped_allocator
  typedef vector<String<Alloc>, Alloc> GenericStringVector;
  using Iterator = typename GenericStringVector::iterator;
  using ConstIterator = typename GenericStringVector::const_iterator;

  StringVector()
  : alloc_(), mStrings(alloc_)
  {}

  template<typename T>
  StringVector(T && t)
  : alloc_(std::forward<T>(t)), mStrings(alloc_)
  {}

  template <typename OtherAlloc, typename ...T>
  StringVector(StringVector<OtherAlloc> const& other, T && ...t)
  : alloc_(std::forward<T>(t)...), mStrings(alloc_)
  {
      std::transform ( other.mStrings.begin(), other.mStrings.end(), std::back_inserter(mStrings), [&t...](auto &s) {
          return typename GenericStringVector::value_type(s, std::forward<T>(t)...);
      });
  }

  void Add(const String<Alloc> str) { mStrings.emplace_back(str); }

  void Remove(Iterator iter) { mStrings.erase(iter); }

  void Clear() { mStrings.clear(); }

  void Print() const
  {
    std::cout << "[";
    for (ConstIterator it = mStrings.begin(); it != mStrings.end(); it++)
      std::cout << (it == mStrings.begin() ? "" : ", ") << *it;
    std::cout << "]\n";
  }

private:
  template<typename OtherAlloc> friend struct StringVector;
  Alloc alloc_;
  GenericStringVector mStrings;
};

}

namespace heap
{
  using VAlloc = std::allocator<void>;
  using String = generic::String<VAlloc>;
  using StringVector = generic::StringVector<VAlloc>;
}

namespace shared
{
  using VAlloc =boost::container::scoped_allocator_adaptor<
          bip::allocator<char, bip::managed_shared_memory::segment_manager> >;

  using String = generic::String<VAlloc>;
  using StringVector = generic::StringVector<VAlloc>;
}

int main(void)
{
  struct shm_remove {
      shm_remove()  { bip::shared_memory_object::remove("MySharedMemory"); }
      ~shm_remove() { bip::shared_memory_object::remove("MySharedMemory"); }
  } remover;

  std::cout << "Heap based storage: \n";
  heap::StringVector svec;

  svec.Add(heap::String("test1"));
  svec.Add(heap::String("test2"));
  svec.Add(heap::String("test3"));
  svec.Add(heap::String("test4"));
  svec.Print();

  std::cout << "Shared memory storage: \n";
  bip::managed_shared_memory seg(bip::create_only, "MySharedMemory", 65536);
  auto smp = seg.get_segment_manager();

  shared::StringVector sh_svec(smp);
  sh_svec.Add(shared::String("test1", smp));
  sh_svec.Add(shared::String("test2", smp));
  sh_svec.Add(shared::String("test3", smp));
  sh_svec.Add(shared::String("test4", smp));
  sh_svec.Print();


  shared::StringVector sh_svec2(sh_svec, smp);
  sh_svec2.Print();

  shared::StringVector sh_svec3(svec, smp);   // does not give compile error 
  sh_svec3.Print();
}

Answer 2

You did not provide your compilation errors, however just by briefly looking at the code and some working knowlege of boost::interprocess , I think your problem lies in std::allocator used for boost::interprocess , but I am not 100% sure, so please provide compilation errors. In the meantime if you like
you can look at our open-source stack solution for Shared, Mmap, Heap memory_types.hpp I think you can use boost::interprocess::allocator with boost::interprocess::managed_heap_memory::segment_manager or something like that. Please also specify if you use C++03 or C++11 compiler as I think in C++03 it was typedef T* pointer_type and that will not work with boost shared memory as it needs offset_ptr , basically offset from the beginning of memory segment and not an absolute address.

I modified your code you had used shared::StringVector to store SHM structure So now it compiles:

heap::StringVector sh_svec3(svec);   // does not gives compile error :-)
sh_svec3.Print();