Re: boost::call_traits<T>::param_type

From:
SG <s.gesemann@gmail.com>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++.moderated
Date:
Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:08:26 CST
Message-ID:
<3b331cc3-0d7e-496b-bde2-8149663269c2@o36g2000vbl.googlegroups.com>
On 15 Sep., 22:38, tohava <toh...@gmail.com> wrote:

I would like to do something like this:

header file:
  class ValueProxy {
    void operator =(boost::call_traits<T>::param_type x)
    {
      ...
    }
  };

source file:
  int main()
  {
    ValueProxy p; p = 5;
  }

The problem that occurs here is that the compiler cannot deduce
implicitly the template parameter T


I don't see any kind of template in your code. I'm assuming you meant

   class ValueProxy {
   public:
     template<typename T>
     ValueProxy& operator=(
       typename boost::call_traits<T>::param_type x)
     {
       ...
     }
     ...
   };

for operator = and therefore compilation fails with an error.


Right. This is to be expected. Think about what the compiler needs to
do in order to deduce T here. Consider specializations. Consider this
case, for example:

  template<typename T> struct foo { typedef T type; };
  template<> struct foo<int> { typedef double type; };

  template<typename T>
  void bar(typename foo<T>::type);

  int main() {
    bar<int> (3.14159265); // OK, T=int, foo<T>::type=double
    bar<double>(24.0); // OK, T=double, foo<T>::type=double
    bar(99.0); // How would you deduce T ?!
  }

It's not reasonable to expect the compiler to be able to deduce T
here. The standard uses the term "non-deducible context". It says the
compiler doesn't need to try to deduce T in such cases. Sometimes one
deliberately introduces this "indirection" to create a non-deducible
context (that's what this class template called "identity" can be used
for).

How would you recommend to handle it?


Don't use boost::call_traits when "T" needs to be deduced. Use "T
const&" instead. You can achieve what you want (with overloaded
templates and SFINAE) but I don't think it's worth the hassle. Also,
keep in mind that if you only define a templated operator= the
compiler will still (try to) generate its default operator=
implicitly. The same is true for copy constructors.

Cheers!
SG

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