Store multiple functions into array C++ for looping

Question

I have two functions called

void funcBlock(A a, B b, int C, long& R, long& M, double& D)
void funcNormal(A a, B b, long& R, long& M, double& D)

In main method, I would like to use the values from these two function by looping them such as,

main method:

combineFunc cfs[] = { funcBlock, funcNormal }
for (int idx = 0; idx < 2; idx++) //Cause it has two functions to loop over
{ 
  combineFunc cf = cfs[idx];

  //Do the rest of the stuffs
}

I encounter error :

error: cannot convert ‘void (*)(A, B, int, long int&, long int&, double&)’ to ‘combineFunc’ in initialization

How do i fix this?

They accept different parameter types, and different number of parameters. How do you expect the code know which and how many parameters to pass? — Michael Veksler
– Michael Veksler, Commented Mar 14, 2019 at 11:44
cfs[] is an array. All elements of the array need to be of the same type. "Function Pointer" is not a type. Each of the function pointers need to be of the same type. — Gardener
– Gardener, Commented Mar 14, 2019 at 11:51
Possible duplicate of Vector of std::function with different signatures — Samer Tufail
– Samer Tufail, Commented Mar 14, 2019 at 11:51

Dmytro Dadyka · Accepted Answer · 2019-03-14 12:31:08Z

4

This is impossible because your functions have different signatures (these are different types). C ++ does not support arrays of elements of different types. But you can match signatures by adding unused parameter, it does not change anything at all, but allows you to put them in one container:

typedef void(*combineFunc)(A, B, int, long int&, long int&, double&);

void funcBlock(A a, B b, int C, long& R, long& M, double& D);
void funcNormal(A a, B b, int unused, long& R, long& M, double& D);

combineFunc cfs[] = { funcBlock, funcNormal };

Another way is to use an array of structures that can store all your functions, like so

struct combineFunc
{
   enum TYPE
   {
      NORMAL,
      BLOCK
   } type;

   combineFunc(void(*nf)(A, B, int, long int&, long int&, double&)) :
      type(NORMAL), nf_(nf)
   {
   }

   combineFunc(void(*fb)(A, B, long int&, long int&, double&)) :
      type(BLOCK), fb_(fb)
   {
   }

   union
   {
      void(*nf_)(A, B, int, long int&, long int&, double&);
      void(*fb_)(A, B, long int&, long int&, double&);
   };
};

CombineFunc cfs[] = { funcBlock, funcNormal };

edited Mar 14, 2019 at 12:31

answered Mar 14, 2019 at 11:58

Dmytro Dadyka

2,2685 gold badges22 silver badges38 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

5 Comments

thb Over a year ago

No, sorry, that isn't what I meant. The word unused is fine as far as the word itself goes. See my answer if you wish. (But I like your answer, too, +1.)

user6308605 Over a year ago

Hi, unfortunately I cant change my function paramaters. So i guess storing them in an array is impossible then.

Dmytro Dadyka Over a year ago

@user6308605, What C++ standard do you use?

user6308605 Over a year ago

c++11 @DmytroDadyka

Dmytro Dadyka Over a year ago

@user6308605, in C++ 11 you can create container similar to std::variant based on union type. See updated answer.

thb · Accepted Answer · 2019-03-14 11:58:44Z

4

Your question is best answered with a question.

Within the loop, when you call cf(arguments), what arguments would you write between the parentheses? Would the arguments include C or not?

I think that, if you answer this question, you will see why what you want probably cannot be done until your program has been redesigned a bit. The redesign might be as simple, though, as letting funcNormal() accept (and ignore) a dummy argument in place of C.

If the last suggestion is what you want, then

void funcNormal(A a, B b, int, long& R, long& M, double& D)

Notice that the int, because ignored, is unnamed.

edited Mar 14, 2019 at 11:58

answered Mar 14, 2019 at 11:53

thb

14.6k3 gold badges43 silver badges71 bronze badges

Comments

eerorika · Accepted Answer · 2019-03-14 16:56:33Z

C++ is a statically typed language. Arrays are homogeneous: All elements of an array have exactly the same type.

A pointer to a function of one type is a different type from a pointer to another function type. Type of a function is determined by its argument and return types. As such, it is not possible to store pointers to functions of different argument lists in the same array.

There are however techniques for "type erasure", which allows simulation of dynamic typing. C++ standard library comes with two heterogeneous wrappers: std::variant and std::any. Variant is an implementation of a tagged union. It can be used to store an object from a pre-defined list of types. any is a type safe wrapper for void*. it can store an object of any type. So, an array of variant or any might be what you're looking for.

They are only low level tools though, and for more featured heterogeneous processing, there are existing libraries such as Boost.Hana.

Guillaume Racicot · Accepted Answer · 2019-03-14 13:25:32Z

1

Assuming you have a set of variable to call them with, and all of them have fixed types, you can wrap your functions inside lambdas to normalize their types:

using combineFunc = void(*)(A, B, int, long int&, long int&, double&);

combineFunc cfs[] = {
    [](A a, B b, int C, long& R, long& M, double& D){ funcBlock(a, b, C, R, M, D); },
    [](A a, B b, int, long& R, long& M, double& D){ funcNormal(a, b, R, M, D); }
};

// do whatever

answered Mar 14, 2019 at 13:25

Guillaume Racicot

42.7k9 gold badges93 silver badges163 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Store multiple functions into array C++ for looping

4 Answers 4

5 Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

4 Answers 4

5 Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related