CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++templates
qeatzy
qeatzy

Reputation: 1551

C++ type-based dispatch for builtin types

I need a dispatcher function, something like below

template<typename T>
T dispatcher() {
    // if T is double
    return _func_double();
    // if T is int
    return _func_int();
    // if T is char*
    return _func_char_pointer();
}

and will be used like below

// some code that use above dispatcher
template<typename T1, typename T2, typename T3>
void do_multiple_thing(T1 *a1, T2 *a2, T2 *a3) {
    *a1 = dispatcher<T1>();
    *a2 = dispatcher<T2>();
    *a3 = dispatcher<T3>();
}

Could you tell me how to achieve that?

P.S.
- solution for builtin types only suffices.
- both preprocessing and template appoach is acceptable.

Upvotes: 4

Views: 1826

Answers (4)

bayov
bayov

Reputation: 29

If you need a generic solution for writing such dispatchers, something along the lines of this can be used:

// calls the first function that has return type `T` with no arguments
template <class T, class F, class... Fs>
constexpr T call_by_return_type(F&& f, Fs&&... fs) {
    if constexpr (std::is_same_v<T, std::invoke_result_t<F>>) {
        return f();
    } else if constexpr (sizeof...(fs) > 0) {
        return call_by_return_type<T>(std::forward<Fs>(fs)...);
    } else {
        static_assert(
            sizeof(T) == 0,
            "`T` must match at least one function's return type"
        );
    }
}

And then you can create dispatchers as a combination of functions (can be any function-object that is called with no arguments):

template <class T>
constexpr T dispatcher() {
    return call_by_return_type<T>(
        _func_double,
        _func_int,
        _func_char_pointer
    );
}

Example in godbolt.org

Note: I assumed you already have _func_<return-type> functions that need to be grouped to form a dispatcher, otherwise I could think of more elegant interfaces.

Upvotes: 1

wdudzik
wdudzik

Reputation: 1344

If you have compiler with C++17 support this snippet of code should work:

template<typename T>
T dispatcher() {
    // if T is double
    if constexpr (std::is_same<T, double>::value)
        return _func_double();
    // if T is int
    if constexpr (std::is_same<T, int>::value)
        return _func_int();
    // if T is char*
    if constexpr (std::is_same<T, char*>::value)
        return _func_char_pointer();
}

Otherwise you will have to do template specialization, and make overload for each of parameters that you want

//only needed for static assert
template<typename T>
struct always_false : std::false_type {};


template<typename T>
T dispatcher() 
{ 
//to make sure that on type you didn't overload you will have exception
    throw std::exception("This type was not overloaded")
//static assert that will provide compile time error
    static_assert(always_false<T>::value , "You must specialize dispatcher for your type");
}
//or to get compile time error without static assert 
template<typename T>
T dispatcher() = delete; //the simplest solution

template<>
double dispatcher<double>() 
{
    return _func_double();
}
//... and so on for all other functions

Upvotes: 6

Jarod42
Jarod42

Reputation: 217398

In C++17, you might combine if constexpr and std::is_same:

template<typename T>
T dispatcher() {
    if constexpr (std::is_same<T, double>::value) {
        return _func_double();
    } else if constexpr (std::is_same<T, int>::value) {
        return _func_int();
    } else if constexpr (std::is_same<T, char*>::value) {
        return _func_char_pointer();
    } else {
        return {}; // or static_assert(always_false<T>::value); ?
    }
}

Before, you might use specialization or tag dispatching with overload:

template<typename T>
T dispatcher() {
    return {}; // or static_assert(always_false<T>::value); ?
}

template<>
double dispatcher() {
    return _func_double();
}

template<>
int dispatcher() {
    return _func_int();
}

template<>
char* dispatcher() {
    return _func_char_pointer();
}

or

template<typename T> struct tag {};


template<typename T>
T dispatcher(tag<T>) = delete; // or { return {}; } ?

double dispatcher(tag<double>) { return _func_double(); }

int dispatcher(tag<int>) { return _func_int(); }

char* dispatcher(tag<char*>) { return _func_char_pointer(); }

// some code that use above dispatcher
template<typename T1, typename T2, typename T3>
void do_multiple_thing(T1 *a1, T2 *a2, T2 *a3) {
    *a1 = dispatcher(tag<T1>());
    *a2 = dispatcher(tag<T2>());
    *a3 = dispatcher(tag<T3>());
}

Upvotes: 4

Marek R
Marek R

Reputation: 37852

template <typename T>
T fetch_magic_value();

template <>
int fetch_magic_value<int>() { return 23; }

template <>
char fetch_magic_value<char>() { return ' '; }

template <>
std::string fetch_magic_value<std::string>() { return "tada"; }

template<typename T>
void do_multiple_thing(T *x) {
  *x = fetch_magic_value<T>();
}

template<typename T, typename... Args>
void do_multiple_thing(T *first, Args *...args)
{
    do_multiple_thing(first);
    do_multiple_thing(args...);
}

https://wandbox.org/permlink/v2NMhoy8v3q5VhRf

C++17 version: https://wandbox.org/permlink/0pi08jvYF5vlIpud

Upvotes: 3

Related Questions