Can <list> be applied to user-defined class in C++?

K

Kenneth

<list> seems to be a powerful structure to store the related nodes in
memory for fast operations, but the examples I found are all related to
primitive type storage.
I'm doing a project on C++ with my defined classes to be added to
linked list structure so as to facilitate the operation of all
instances of defined classes. Is that possible to apply such classes to
<list> or <Vector> structure?

Thanks!
 
M

Martin Vorbrodt

Kenneth said:
<list> seems to be a powerful structure to store the related nodes in
memory for fast operations, but the examples I found are all related to
primitive type storage.
I'm doing a project on C++ with my defined classes to be added to
linked list structure so as to facilitate the operation of all
instances of defined classes. Is that possible to apply such classes to
<list> or <Vector> structure?

Thanks!

yes!

but there are certain requirements... i think you need public default and
copy constructor (maybe assignment operator too, not sure, check the C++
standard, or any STL bood)
 
J

Jim Langston

Kenneth said:
<list> seems to be a powerful structure to store the related nodes in
memory for fast operations, but the examples I found are all related to
primitive type storage.
I'm doing a project on C++ with my defined classes to be added to
linked list structure so as to facilitate the operation of all
instances of defined classes. Is that possible to apply such classes to
<list> or <Vector> structure?

Thanks!

Yeah. I do it all the time. Pretty much the same way you do it with built
in primitive types.

If your class does any memory management (new, delete) itself make sure you
have copy and assignment methods.

vector<MyClass> MyVector;

MyVector.push_back( new MyClass );

MyClass TempInstance;
MyVector.push_back( TempInstance );
 
M

Mike Wahler

Kenneth said:
<list> seems to be a powerful structure to store the related nodes in
memory for fast operations, but the examples I found are all related to
primitive type storage.
I'm doing a project on C++ with my defined classes to be added to
linked list structure so as to facilitate the operation of all
instances of defined classes. Is that possible to apply such classes to
<list> or <Vector> structure?

Certainly.

class C
{
int i;
public:
C(int arg) : i(arg)
{
}
};

std::list<C> my_list;

The class can be as simple or as complex as
you like (but of course still subject to
'resource allocation' issues, e.g. the
'rule of three').

-Mike
 
P

Peter_Julian

| <list> seems to be a powerful structure to store the related nodes in
| memory for fast operations, but the examples I found are all related
to
| primitive type storage.
| I'm doing a project on C++ with my defined classes to be added to
| linked list structure so as to facilitate the operation of all
| instances of defined classes. Is that possible to apply such classes
to
| <list> or <Vector> structure?
|

Not only can a list store some particular node-type, but virtually any
node type, including your own. I've left out one of the requirements,
the assignment operator for the nodes. The std::list container itself
can be encapsulated within a templated class with your own interface.

#include <iterator> // for std::eek:stream_iterator
#include <algorithm> // for std::copy
#include <list>
#include <ostream>
#include <iostream>

// my own list container class
template< class T >
class TList
{
std::list< T > m_list;
public:
TList() : m_list() { }
~TList() { }
void push_back(const T& t)
{
m_list.push_back(t);
}
void pop_back()
{
m_list.pop_back();
}
void display() const
{
std::cout << "list contents:\n ";
std::copy( m_list.begin(),
m_list.end(),
std::eek:stream_iterator< T >( std::cout, " ") );
std::cout << std::endl;
}
};

// a templated, complex Node type
template< class N, class D, class L>
class Node
{
N m_n;
D m_d;
L m_l;
public:
Node(N n, D d, L l) : m_n(n), m_d(d), m_l(l) { }
Node(const Node& copy)
{
m_n = copy.m_n;
m_d = copy.m_d;
m_l = copy.m_l;
}
~Node() { }
/* friends */
friend std::eek:stream&
operator<<(std::eek:stream& os, const Node& a)
{
os << a.m_n << ", " << a.m_d << ", " << a.m_l;
return os << std::endl;
}
};

int main()
{
TList<int> nlist; // a list of integers
typedef Node<int, double, long> t_Node;
TList< t_Node > nodelist; // a list of complex nodes

for ( int sz = 0; sz < 10; ++sz)
{
nlist.push_back(sz);
nodelist.push_back( t_Node(sz, sz + 0.1, sz * 10) );
}

nlist.display();
nodelist.display();

return 0;
}

/* output:

list contents:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
list contents:
0, 0.1, 0
1, 1.1, 10
2, 2.1, 20
3, 3.1, 30
4, 4.1, 40
5, 5.1, 50
6, 6.1, 60
7, 7.1, 70
8, 8.1, 80
9, 9.1, 90

*/

The same applies to any other standard container (std::vector,
std::queue, std::deque, etc) except that associative containers (set,
map, multiset, multimap, etc) have additional requirements other than
copy ctor and operator=.

Even the node type itself can be composed of other templated user-types.
And that would not require any modification of either the Node or TList
class (You can derive from TList to provide supplimentary features).
Comparitively, the work required is minute when you consider the
flexibility and reusability of the templated classes.
 
A

Axter

Kenneth said:
<list> seems to be a powerful structure to store the related nodes in
memory for fast operations, but the examples I found are all related to
primitive type storage.
I'm doing a project on C++ with my defined classes to be added to
linked list structure so as to facilitate the operation of all
instances of defined classes. Is that possible to apply such classes to
<list> or <Vector> structure?

Thanks!

For non-abstract class, yes.
However, if you're trying to store derived types using a base type,
then you would have to use a pointer, or a smart pointer.

vector<foo*> vMyFoo;
//Or even better, use smart pointer
vector<boost::shared_ptr<foo> > vMyFoo; //Boost shared pointer

vector<copy_ptr<foo> > vMyFoo; //A clone pointer

I recommend the clone pointer over boost shared pointer because it
works like concrete types and when making comparisons it lets you use
value semantics.

You can download the copy_ptr from the following link:
http://code.axter.com/copy_ptr.h

You can also use a COW (Copy On Write) smart pointer:
http://code.axter.com/cow_ptr.h
 

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