CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++arrays
Nicolas K.
Nicolas K.

Reputation: 59

C++ Create a generic function with an array as parameter

I'm new to C++. I'm a student coming from C.

My goal is to write a simple function that takes an array in parameter. I succeed but i'm not happy with the result.

main.cpp

#include <array>
#include <iostream>
#include "MyMath.hpp"

int main()
{
     std::array<int, 5> array = {1, 2, 3, 5, 4};

     MyMath::sortIntArray(array);
     std::cout << array.at(3) << std::endl;
     return 0:
}

MyMath.hpp

#include <array>

 class MyMath {
 public:
     static void sortIntArray(std::array<int, 5> &array)
     {
         array.at(3) = 99;
     }
 }

I created a class to contain my function because that's the school's coding style. The problem that I have with the code above is that I wrote the size of my array in my function's parameter. "What if I want to sort an array of 500 numbers ?"

1) So my question is : what is the best way to write the same function without having to write the array size ?

2) I've done some research and I know about std::vector but isn't it more appropriate to use std::array when you want to create an array with fixed size ?

3) I could solve my issue with C-Style array : by setting the last element of the array at NULL or by sending the size as an second parameter. But isn't more appropriate to use class equivalent for arrays and string ? (std::array / std::vector / std::string and almost never use int[] anymore)

4) I have seen "templates" that would allow me to success my goal but after writting the second little function of my sorting algorithm, I noticed that I would have to use template for every function that takes an std::array as parameter which is crazy.

If the answer is to simply use std::vector or int[]. Will I ever need std::array ? (because it is not better than int[] in my opinion, I could solve the problem with int[] as I said in 3). And I cannot solve the problem with std::array)

There are 4 questions. For my general undestanding of this langage, I think it is important to consider answering all 4 questions (even if it's only a very short sentence). Thanks you in advance.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1743

Answers (3)

joelw
joelw

Reputation: 431

Look at the interface of std::sort. Instead of taking a concrete container type, it instead takes a generic [start, end) iterator pair. Then if the caller wants to sort a vector, they can pass in a pair of std::vector<int>::iterator_types. If they want to sort an array of 5 ints, they can pass in std::array<int, 5>::iterator_type. If they want to sort an C-style array, they can pass in int*s.

Upvotes: 2

Phil M
Phil M

Reputation: 1619

std::array is typically the more C++ way of handling arrays whose sizes are fixed and known at compile time, rather than a C-style array. At least one benefit over the old array is ease of copying; a single assignment from one array to another, rather than an element-by-element copy, and helps combat accidental shallow copies.

If you don't know the size at compile time, use std::vector. You can use it's resize method once you know the actual size, and then treat it the same as you would an array or array (i.e., indexing with []).

Upvotes: 1

Acorn
Acorn

Reputation: 26186

1) So my question is : what is the best way to write the same function without having to write the array size ?

There isn't a best way, it depends on what you need to do.

If you want to use std::array like that, you will have to use a template.

If you don't need the size at compile-time, you have more a few more options, e.g. the ones you describe later.

2) I've done some research and I know about std::vector but isn't it more appropriate to use std::array when you want to create an array with fixed size ?

Yes, it is. They aren't equivalent solutions and they are meant for different use cases.

3) I could solve my issue with C-Style array : by setting the last element of the array at NULL or by sending the size as an second parameter. But isn't more appropriate to use class equivalent for arrays and string ? (std::array / std::vector / std::string and almost never use int[] anymore)

It depends. Again, remember that using those solutions are not equivalent, because size won't be known at compile-time!

4) I have seen "templates" that would allow me to success my goal but after writting the second little function of my sorting algorithm, I noticed that I would have to use template for every function that takes an std::array as parameter which is crazy.

What do you mean by "crazy"?

Upvotes: 1

Related Questions