I wanted to create a list data structure with an iterator class in it. Everything works well but when I declare a move assignment operator the program doesn't compile if it's using the C++14 or C++11 standards, but works fine in C++17, C++2a.
list.h:
#pragma once
#include <iostream>
template <typename T>
class list {
struct node {
node(T data, node* prev = nullptr, node* next = nullptr)
: data{ data }, prev{ prev }, next{ next } {}
T data;
node* prev;
node* next;
};
public:
struct iterator {
template <typename>
friend class list;
explicit iterator(node *_node = nullptr)
: _node(_node) {}
iterator& operator=(iterator const &it) {
_node = it._node;
return *this;
}
iterator& operator=(iterator &&it) {
// does nothing
return *this;
}
T& operator*() {
return _node->data;
}
private:
node *_node;
};
list(T data) {
Head = Tail = new node(data);
size = 1;
}
iterator begin() {
return iterator(Head);
}
private:
node* Head;
node* Tail;
int size;
};
main.cpp:
#include "list.h"
int main() {
list<int> lst(100);
std::cout << *lst.begin() << std::endl;
}
It's a stripped-down version but it's enough to describe the problem.
Compiler error and note message:
error: use of deleted function ‘constexpr list::iterator::iterator(const list::iterator&)’
return iterator(Head);
^
note: ‘constexpr list::iterator::iterator(const list::iterator&)’ is implicitly declared as
deleted because ‘list::iterator’ declares a move constructor or move assignment operator
struct iterator {
^~~~~~~~
return iterator(Head);
Why this works in C++17 is because in C++17 this is guaranteed copy elision. No copy or move takes place here.
In a return statement, when the operand is a prvalue of the same class type (ignoring cv-qualification) as the function return type:
Prior to C++17, this requires a constructor, but the defined move assignment operator deletes it, it's also deleted in C++17, but copy elision does not require it (ibid):
The copy/move constructors need not be present or accessible