c++templatesdefault-template-argument

How to make C++ template type to default to previous template type


Is there any way, to default second template type to the type of the first template argument type, to remove the need of specifying the template types when not needed?

So, I have a method, that pops values from byte array:

    template<class TYPE1, class TYPE2>
    bool pop_value_from_array(TYPE2 &value)
    {
        if(get_array_size() >= sizeof(TYPE1))
        {
            value = static_cast<TYPE2>(*reinterpret_cast<const TYPE1*>(get_array_pointer()));
            remove_bytes_from_array(sizeof(TYPE1));
            return true;
        }
        return false;
    }

And then I can do

    uint32_t size;
    if (!pop_value_from_array<uint16_t>(size))
    {
        // Error handling
    }
    size *= 2;
    uint16_t var2;
    if (!pop_value_from_array<uint16_t>(var2))
    {
        // Error handling
    }

If I declare another function:

    template<class TYPE>
    bool pop_value_from_array(TYPE &value)
    {
        if(get_array_size() >= sizeof(TYPE))
        {
            value = *reinterpret_cast<const TYPE*>(get_array_pointer());
            remove_bytes_from_array(sizeof(TYPE));
            return true;
        }
        return false;
    }

I can get rid of the template specification when not needed:

    uint32_t size;
    // Poping uint16_t from array, and storing to the uint32_t type, so there is no overflow in multiplication
    if (!pop_value_from_array<uint16_t>(size))
    {
        // Error handling
    }
    size *= 2;
    uint16_t var2;
    if (!pop_value_from_array(var2))
    {
        // Error handling
    }

So, I want to get rid of the second declaration of the same function


Solution

  • You might default TYPE1 to some special type (I use void here), and then check for that type:

    template<class TYPE1 = void, class TYPE2>
    bool pop_value_from_array(TYPE2 &value)
    {
        using type = std::conditional_t<std::is_same_v<void, TYPE1>, TYPE2, TYPE1>;
        // Now use type.
        if(get_array_size() >= sizeof(type))
        {
            value = static_cast<TYPE2>(*reinterpret_cast<const type*>(get_array_pointer()));
            remove_bytes_from_array(sizeof(type));
            return true;
        }
        return false;
    }