C++ template constructor

user_346332 0
Viewed 189687

I wish to have a non-template class with a template constructor with no arguments.

As far as I understand, it's impossible to have it (because it would conflict with the default constructor - am I right?), and the workaround is the following:

class A{
   template <typename U> A(U* dummy) {
   // Do something
   }
};

Maybe there is a better alternative for this (or a better workaround)?

templates constructor c++
9 Answers

You could do this:

class C 
{
public:
    template <typename T> C(T*);
};
template <typename T> T* UseType() 
{
    static_cast<T*>(nullptr);
}

Then to create an object of type C using int as the template parameter to the constructor:

C obj(UseType<int>());

Since you can't pass template parameters to a constructor, this solution essentially converts the template parameter to a regular parameter. Using the UseType<T>() function when calling the constructor makes it clear to someone looking at the code that the purpose of that parameter is to tell the constructor what type to use.

One use case for this would be if the constructor creates a derived class object and assigns it to a member variable that is a base class pointer. (The constructor needs to know which derived class to use, but the class itself doesn't need to be templated since the same base class pointer type is always used.)

user_9859300

Just simple to add a dummy variable like

class A {
  template<typename T>
  A(const T&, int arg1, int arg2);
}
user_125298850
Related