Re: invalidation of iterators on deque<T>:insert()

From:
James Kanze <james.kanze@gmail.com>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++
Date:
Tue, 30 Sep 2008 02:53:35 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID:
<7db0cc05-9ce3-4cb5-81c3-3d6b9f6be371@r66g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>
On Sep 30, 8:19 am, "subramanian10...@yahoo.com, India"
<subramanian10...@yahoo.com> wrote:

In ISO/IEC 14882:2003 document, in the section '23.2.1.3 deque
modifiers', the following is mentioned:

iterator insert(iterator position, const T& x);

void insert(iterator position, size_type n, const T& x);

template <class InputIterator>
void insert(iterator position, InputIterator first, InputIterator
last);

1 Effects: An insert in the middle of the deque invalidates
all the iterators and references to elements of the deque. An
insert at either end of the deque invalidates all the
iterators to the deque, but has no effect on the validity of
references to elements of the deque.

My questions:
--------------------
what is meant by invalidation of iterators to elements of the
deque and what is meant by invalidation of references to
elements of deque ?


The standard isn't too clear concerning the first. Clearly, any
attempt to access through the iterator or increment or decrement
it is undefined behavior; I don't think you're even allowed to
copy it, however.

In the case of references, any use of the reference once it
becomes invalid is undefined behavior. For pointers (not
mentionned above, but they are invalidated under the same
conditions as references), any rvalue to lvalue conversion of
the pointer is undefined behavior.

(Are they different ?)


Well, one affects iterators, and the other pointers and
references. The effects of invalidation, however, are pretty
much the same.

Kindly give an example so that I can understand.


    std::deque< int > d ;
    for ( int i = 1 ; i <= 5 ; ++ i ) {
        d.push_back( i ) ;
    }
    std::deque< int >::iterator
                        iter = d.begin() + 1 ;
    int& r = *iter ;
    int* p = &r ;
    d.push_back( 100 ) ; // invalidates iter, but not r and p.
    d.insert( d.begin() + 2, 42 ) ;
                            // invalidates iter, r and p.

The second statement in the above, says that 'but has no
effect on the validity of references to elements of the
deque'. Here what is meant by 'but has no effect on the
validity of references to elements' ?.


That it has no effect on the validity of references to elements.
Or pointers to elements, for that matter.

2 Notes: If an exception is thrown other than by the copy
constructor or assignment operator of T there are no effects.

My questions:
--------------------
Here what exceptions are thrown by copy ctor and assignment
operator?


Whatever you decide to throw from them.

(Is it bad_alloc exception ?).


It could be, if the copy constructor or the assignment operator
allocate memory dynamically.

What operations other than copy ctor and assignment of T can
throw exception ?


Anything. You, as the programmer of the class, decide what
exceptions will be thrown.

Formally, std::deque can throw just about anything.
Practically, from a QoI point of view, it will throw
std::bad_alloc if an allocation fails, and will be exception
neutral for any exceptions coming from the instantiation class.

What are those exceptions ?
What is meant by saying 'there are no effects' ?


That the function will have no effects if an exception is
thrown. This is the strong exception guarantee. Also known as
transactional integrity: either the function works, returning
normally, or it does nothing.

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