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Standard Template Library Programmer's Guide
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mem_fun_t<Result, X>



Categories: functors, adaptors	Component type: type

Description

Mem_fun_t is an adaptor for member functions. If X is some class with a member function Result X::f() (that is, a member function that takes no arguments and that returns a value of type Result [1]), then a mem_fun_t<Result, X> is a function object adaptor that makes it possible to call f() as if it were an ordinary function instead of a member function.

Mem_fun_t<Result, X>'s constructor takes a pointer to one of X's member functions. Then, like all function objects, mem_fun_t has an operator() that allows the mem_fun_t to be invoked with ordinary function call syntax. In this case, mem_fun_t's operator() takes an argument of type X*.

If F is a mem_fun_t that was constructed to use the member function X::f, and if x is a pointer of type X*, then the expression F(x) is equivalent to the expression x->f(). The difference is simply that F can be passed to STL algorithms whose arguments must be function objects.

Mem_fun_t is one of a family of member function adaptors. These adaptors are useful if you want to combine generic programming with inheritance and polymorphism, since, in C++, polymorphism involves calling member functions through pointers or references.

As with many other adaptors, it is usually inconvenient to use mem_fun_t's constructor directly. It is usually better to use the helper function mem_fun instead.

Example

struct B {
  virtual void print() = 0;
};

struct D1 : public B {
  void print() { cout << "I'm a D1" << endl; }
};

struct D2 : public B {
  void print() { cout << "I'm a D2" << endl; }
};

int main()
{
  vector<B*> V;

  V.push_back(new D1);
  V.push_back(new D2);
  V.push_back(new D2);
  V.push_back(new D1);

  for_each(V.begin(), V.end(), mem_fun(&B::print));
}

Definition

Defined in the standard header functional, and in the nonstandard backward-compatibility header function.h.

Template parameters

Parameter	Description	Default
`Result`	The member function's return type.
`X`	The class whose member function the `mem_fun_t` invokes.

Model of

Adaptable Unary Function

Type requirements

X has at least one member function that takes no arguments and that returns a value of type Result. [1]

Public base classes

unary_function<X*, Result>

Members

Member	Where defined	Description
`argument_type`	Adaptable Unary Function	The type of the argument: `X*`
`result_type`	Adaptable Unary Function	The type of the result: `Result`
Result operator()(X* x) const	Unary Function	Function call operator. Invokes `x->f()`, where `f` is the member function that was passed to the constructor.
explicit mem_fun_t(Result (X::*f)())	`mem_fun_t`	See below.
template <class Result, class X> mem_fun_t<Result, X> mem_fun(Result (X::*f)());	`mem_fun_t`	See below.

New members

These members are not defined in the Adaptable Unary Function requirements, but are specific to mem_fun_t.

Member	Description
explicit mem_fun_t(Result (X::*f)())	The constructor. Creates a `mem_fun_t` that calls the member function `f`.
template <class Result, class X> mem_fun_t<Result, X> mem_fun(Result (X::*f)());	If `f` if of type `Result (X::*)` then `mem_fun(f)` is the same as `mem_fun_t<Result, X>(f)`, but is more convenient. This is a global function, not a member function.

Notes

[1] The type Result is permitted to be void. That is, this adaptor may be used for functions that return no value. However, this presents implementation difficulties. According to the draft C++ standard, it is possible to return from a void function by writing return void instead of just return. At present, however (early 1998), very few compilers support that feature. As a substitute, then, mem_fun_t uses partial specialization to support void member functions. If your compiler has not implemented partial specialization, then you will not be able to use mem_fun_t with member functions whose return type is void.