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<title>Boost.MultiIndex Documentation - Advanced topics</title>
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<h1><img src="../../../boost.png" alt="boost.png (6897 bytes)" align=
"middle" width="277" height="86">Boost.MultiIndex Advanced topics</h1>
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<h2>Contents</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="#hashed_indices">Hashed indices</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#hash_unique_non_unique">Unique and non-unique variants</a></li>
<li><a href="#hash_spec">Specification</a></li>
<li><a href="#hash_lookup">Lookup</a></li>
<li><a href="#hash_updating">Updating</a></li>
<li><a href="#guarantees">Guarantees on iterator validity and exception safety</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="#composite_keys">Composite keys</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#composite_keys_hash">Composite keys and hashed indices</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="#advanced_key_extractors">Advanced features of Boost.MultiIndex key
extractors</a></li>
<li><a href="#ctor_args_list">Use of <code>ctor_args_list</code></a></li>
<li><a href="#serialization">Serialization</a></li>
<li><a href="#debugging_support">Debugging support</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#safe_mode">Safe mode</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#serialization_and_safe_mode">Serialization and safe mode</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="#invariant_check">Invariant-checking mode</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="#emulate_std_containers">Emulating standard containers with
<code>multi_index_container</code></a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#emulate_assoc_containers">Emulation of associative
containers</a></li>
<li><a href="#emulate_std_list">Emulation of <code>std::list</code></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="#metaprogrammming">Metaprogramming and <code>multi_index_container</code></a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#mpl_analysis">MPL analysis</a></li>
<li><a href="#mpl_synthesis">MPL synthesis</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h2><a name="hashed_indices">Hashed indices</a></h2>
<p>
Hashed indices constitute a trade-off with respect to ordered indices: if correctly used,
they provide much faster lookup of elements, at the expense of losing sorting
information.
Let us revisit our <code>employee_set</code> example: suppose a field for storing
the Social Security number is added, with the requisite that lookup by this
number should be as fast as possible. Instead of the usual ordered index, a
hashed index can be resorted to:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>employee</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>id</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span> <span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>ssnumber</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>id</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>ssnumber</span><span class=special>):</span>
<span class=identifier>id</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>id</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>ssnumber</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>ssnumber</span><span class=special>){}</span>
<span class=keyword>bool</span> <span class=keyword>operator</span><span class=special>&lt;(</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>e</span><span class=special>)</span><span class=keyword>const</span><span class=special>{</span><span class=keyword>return</span> <span class=identifier>id</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>e</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>id</span><span class=special>;}</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=comment>// sort by employee::operator&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=comment>// sort by less&lt;string&gt; on name</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=comment>// hashed on ssnumber</span>
<span class=identifier>hashed_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>ssnumber</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>employee_set</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
Note that the hashed index does not guarantee any particular ordering of the
elements: so, for instance, we cannot efficiently query the employees whose SSN is
greater than a given number. Usually, you must consider these restrictions when
determining whether a hashed index is preferred over an ordered one.
</p>
<p>
If you are familiar with non-standard <code>hash_set</code>s provided
by some compiler vendors, then learning to use hashed indices should be straightforward.
However, the interface of hashed indices is modeled after the specification
for unordered associative containers by the
<a href="http://www.open-std.org/JTC1/SC22/WG21/docs/papers/2005/n1836.pdf">C++ Standard
Library Technical Report</a> (TR1),
which differs in some significant aspects from existing pre-standard
implementations:
<ul>
<li>As there is no notion of ordering between keys, the <a href="#hash_lookup">lookup
interface</a> does not offer <code>lower_bound</code> or <code>upper_bound</code>
member functions (unlike Dinkumware's solution.)</li>
<li>A set of member functions is provided for handling the internal
bucket structure on which hashed indices rely. This includes facilities
for <a href="reference/hash_indices.html#hash_policy">rehashing</a>,
control of the load factor (number of elements divided by number of buckets),
and inspection of the buckets contents. Pre-standard implementations
do not have such an extensive functionality.</li>
</ul>
Check the <a href="reference/hash_indices.html">reference</a> for a
complete specification of the interface of hashed indices,
and <a href="examples.html#example8">example 8</a> and
<a href="examples.html#example9">example 9</a> for practical applications.
</p>
</p>
<h3><a name="hash_unique_non_unique">Unique and non-unique variants</a></h3>
<p>
Just like ordered indices, hashed indices have unique and non-unique variants, selected
with the specifiers <code>hashed_unique</code> and <code>hashed_non_unique</code>,
respectively. In the latter case, elements with equivalent keys are kept together and can
be jointly retrieved by means of the <code>equal_range</code> member function.
</p>
<h3><a name="hash_spec">Specification</a></h3>
<p>
Hashed indices specifiers have two alternative syntaxes, depending on whether
<a href="tutorial.html#tagging">tags</a> are provided or not:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>hashed_unique</span> <span class=special>|</span> <span class=identifier>hashed_non_unique</span><span class=special>)
</span><span class=special>&lt;[</span><i>(tag)</i><span class=special>[,</span><i>(key extractor)</i><span class=special>[,</span><i>(hash function)</i><span class=special>[,</span><i>(equality predicate)</i><span class=special>]]]]&gt;</span>
<span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>hashed_unique</span> <span class=special>|</span> <span class=identifier>hashed_non_unique</span><span class=special>)</span>
<span class=special>&lt;[</span><i>(key extractor)</i><span class=special>[,</span><i>(hash function)</i><span class=special>[,</span><i>(equality predicate)</i><span class=special>]]]&gt;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
The key extractor parameter works in exactly the same way as for
<a href="tutorial.html#key_extraction">ordered indices</a>; lookup, insertion,
etc., are based on the key returned by the extractor rather than the whole
element.
</p>
<p>
The hash function is the very core of the fast lookup capabilities of this type of
indices: a hasher
is just a <a href="http://www.sgi.com/tech/stl/UnaryFunction.html"><code>Unary
Function</code></a> returning an <code>std::size_t</code> value for any given
key. In general, it is impossible that every key map to a different hash value, for
the space of keys can be greater than the number of permissible hash codes: what
makes for a good hasher is that the probability of a collision (two different
keys with the same hash value) is as close to zero as possible. This is a statistical
property depending on the typical distribution of keys in a given application, so
it is not feasible to have a general-purpose hash function with excellent results
in <i>every</i> possible scenario; the default value for this parameter uses
<a href="../../functional/hash/index.html">Boost.Hash</a>, which often provides good
enough results.
</p>
<p>
The equality predicate is used to determine whether two keys are to be treated
as the same. The default
value <code>std::equal_to&lt;KeyFromValue::result_type&gt;</code> is in most
cases exactly what is needed, so very rarely will you have to provide
your own predicate. Note that hashed indices require that two
equivalent keys have the same hash value, which
in practice greatly reduces the freedom in choosing an equality predicate.
</p>
<h3><a name="hash_lookup">Lookup</a></h3>
<p>
The lookup interface of hashed indices consists in member functions
<code>find</code>, <code>count</code> and <code>equal_range</code>.
Note that <code>lower_bound</code> and <code>upper_bound</code> are not
provided, as there is no intrinsic ordering of keys in this type of indices.
</p>
<p>
Just as with ordered indices, these member functions take keys
as their search arguments, rather than entire objects. Remember that
ordered indices lookup operations are further augmented to accept
<i>compatible keys</i>, which can roughly be regarded as "subkeys".
For hashed indices, a concept of
<a href="reference/hash_indices.html#lookup">compatible key</a> is also
supported, though its usefulness is much more limited: basically,
a compatible key is an object which is entirely equivalent to
a native object of <code>key_type</code> value, though maybe with
a different internal representation:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=comment>// US SSN numbering scheme</span>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>ssn</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=identifier>ssn</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>area_no</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>group_no</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>serial_no</span><span class=special>):</span>
<span class=identifier>area_no</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>area_no</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>group_no</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>group_no</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>serial_no</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>serial_no</span><span class=special>)</span>
<span class=special>{}</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>to_int</span><span class=special>()</span><span class=keyword>const</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>return</span> <span class=identifier>serial_no</span><span class=special>+</span><span class=number>10000</span><span class=special>*</span><span class=identifier>group_no</span><span class=special>+</span><span class=number>1000000</span><span class=special>*</span><span class=identifier>area_no</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>}</span>
<span class=keyword>private</span><span class=special>:</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>area_no</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>group_no</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>serial_no</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
<span class=comment>// interoperability with SSNs in raw int form</span>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>ssn_equal</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>bool</span> <span class=keyword>operator</span><span class=special>()(</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>ssn</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>)</span><span class=keyword>const</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>return</span> <span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>to_int</span><span class=special>()==</span><span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>}</span>
<span class=keyword>bool</span> <span class=keyword>operator</span><span class=special>()(</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>ssn</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>)</span><span class=keyword>const</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>return</span> <span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>==</span><span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>to_int</span><span class=special>();</span>
<span class=special>}</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>ssn_hash</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>size_t</span> <span class=keyword>operator</span><span class=special>()(</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>ssn</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>)</span><span class=keyword>const</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>return</span> <span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>hash</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;()(</span><span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>to_int</span><span class=special>());</span>
<span class=special>}</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>size_t</span> <span class=keyword>operator</span><span class=special>()(</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>)</span><span class=keyword>const</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>return</span> <span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>hash</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;()(</span><span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>);</span>
<span class=special>}</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>employee_set</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>nth_index</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=number>2</span><span class=special>&gt;::</span><span class=identifier>type</span> <span class=identifier>employee_set_by_ssn</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>employee_set</span> <span class=identifier>es</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>employee_set_by_ssn</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>ssn_index</span><span class=special>=</span><span class=identifier>es</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>get</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=number>2</span><span class=special>&gt;();</span>
<span class=special>...</span>
<span class=comment>// find an employee by ssn</span>
<span class=identifier>employee</span> <span class=identifier>e</span><span class=special>=*(</span><span class=identifier>ssn_index</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>find</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>ssn</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=number>12</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=number>1005</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=number>20678</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>ssn_hash</span><span class=special>(),</span><span class=identifier>ssn_equal</span><span class=special>()));</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
In the example, we provided a hash functor <code>ssn_hash</code> and an
equality predicate <code>ssn_equal</code> allowing for interoperability
between <code>ssn</code> objects and the raw <code>int</code>s stored as
<code>SSN</code>s in <code>employee_set</code>.
</p>
<p>
By far, the most useful application of compatible keys in the context
of hashed indices lies in the fact that they allow for seamless usage of
<a href="#composite_keys">composite keys</a>.
</p>
<h3><a name="hash_updating">Updating</a></h3>
<p>
Hashed indices have
<a href=reference/hash_indices.html#replace><code>replace</code></a>,
<a href=reference/hash_indices.html#modify><code>modify</code></a> and
<a href=reference/hash_indices.html#modify_key><code>modify_key</code></a>
member functions, with the same functionality as in ordered indices.
</p>
<h3><a name="guarantees">Guarantees on iterator validity and exception safety</a></h3>
<p>
Due to the internal constraints imposed by the Boost.MultiIndex framework,
hashed indices provide guarantees on iterator validity and
exception safety that are actually stronger than required by the
C++ Standard Library Technical Report (TR1) with respect
to unordered associative containers:
<ul>
<li>Iterator validity is preserved in any case during insertion or rehashing:
TR1 allows for iterator invalidation when a rehash (implicit or explicit)
is performed.</li>
<li>Erasing an element or range of elements via iterators does not throw ever,
as the internal hash function and equality predicate objects are not actually
invoked.</li>
<li><code>rehash</code> provides the strong exception safety guarantee
unconditionally. TR1 only warrants it if the internal hash function and
equality predicate objects do not throw. The somewhat surprising consequence
is that a TR1-compliant unordered associative container might erase
elements if an exception is thrown during rehashing!</li>
</ul>
In general, these stronger guarantees play in favor of the user's convenience,
specially that which refers to iterator stability. A (hopefully minimal)
degradation in performance might result in exchange for these commodities,
though.
</p>
<h2><a name="composite_keys">Composite keys</a></h2>
<p>
In relational databases, composite keys depend on two or more fields of a given table.
The analogous concept in Boost.MultiIndex is modeled by means of
<a href="reference/key_extraction.html#composite_key">
<code>composite_key</code></a>, as shown in the example:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span> <span class=identifier>family_name</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span> <span class=identifier>given_name</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span> <span class=identifier>phone_number</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>(</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span> <span class=identifier>family_name</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span> <span class=identifier>given_name</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span> <span class=identifier>phone_number</span><span class=special>):</span>
<span class=identifier>family_name</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>family_name</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>given_name</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>given_name</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>phone_number</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>phone_number</span><span class=special>)</span>
<span class=special>{}</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
<span class=comment>// define a multi_index_container with a composite key on
// (family_name,given_name)</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=comment>//non-unique as some subscribers might have more than one number</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>composite_key</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>family_name</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>given_name</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span> <span class=comment>// unique as numbers belong to only one subscriber</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>phone_number</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>phonebook</span><span class=special>;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
<code>composite_key</code> accepts two or more key extractors on the same
value (here, <code>phonebook_entry</code>). Lookup operations on a composite
key are accomplished by passing tuples with the values searched:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>phonebook</span> <span class=identifier>pb</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>...</span>
<span class=comment>// search for Dorothea White's number</span>
<span class=identifier>phonebook</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>iterator</span> <span class=identifier>it</span><span class=special>=</span><span class=identifier>pb</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>find</span><span class=special>(</span>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>make_tuple</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=string>&quot;White&quot;</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=string>&quot;Dorothea&quot;</span><span class=special>)));</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span> <span class=identifier>number</span><span class=special>=</span><span class=identifier>it</span><span class=special>-&gt;</span><span class=identifier>phone_number</span><span class=special>;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
Composite keys are sorted by lexicographical order, i.e. sorting is performed
by the first key, then the second key if the first one is equal, etc. This
order allows for partial searches where only the first keys are specified:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>phonebook</span> <span class=identifier>pb</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>...</span>
<span class=comment>// look for all Whites</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>pair</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>iterator</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>phonebook</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>iterator</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>p</span><span class=special>=</span>
<span class=identifier>pb</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>equal_range</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>make_tuple</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=string>&quot;White&quot;</span><span class=special>)));</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
On the other hand, partial searches without specifying the first keys are not
allowed.
</p>
<p>
By default, the corresponding <code>std::less</code> predicate is used
for each subkey of a composite key. Alternate comparison predicates can
be specified with <a href="reference/key_extraction.html#composite_key_compare">
<code>composite_key_compare</code></a>:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=comment>// phonebook with given names in reverse order</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>composite_key</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>family_name</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>given_name</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>composite_key_compare</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>less</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span> <span class=comment>// family names sorted as by default</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>greater</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=comment>// given names reversed</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>phonebook_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>phone_number</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>phonebook</span><span class=special>;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
See <a href="examples.html#example7">example 7</a> in the examples section
for an application of <code>composite_key</code>.
</p>
<h3><a name="composite_keys_hash">Composite keys and hashed indices</a></h3>
<p>
Composite keys can also be used with hashed indices in a straightforward manner:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>street_entry</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=comment>// quadrant coordinates</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span> <span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>):</span><span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>){}</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>hashed_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span> <span class=comment>// indexed by quadrant coordinates</span>
<span class=identifier>composite_key</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>hashed_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span> <span class=comment>// indexed by street name</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>street_locator</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>street_locator</span> <span class=identifier>sl</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>...</span>
<span class=keyword>void</span> <span class=identifier>streets_in_quadrant</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>)</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>pair</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>street_locator</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>iterator</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>street_locator</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>iterator</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>p</span><span class=special>=</span>
<span class=identifier>sl</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>equal_range</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>make_tuple</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>));</span>
<span class=keyword>while</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>p</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>!=</span><span class=identifier>p</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>second</span><span class=special>){</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>cout</span><span class=special>&lt;&lt;</span><span class=identifier>p</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>-&gt;</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>&lt;&lt;</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>endl</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>++</span><span class=identifier>p</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>}</span>
<span class=special>}</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
Note that hashing is automatically taken care of: <code>boost::hash</code> is
specialized to hash a composite key as a function of the <code>boost::hash</code>
values of its elements. Should we need to specify different hash functions for the
elements of a composite key, we can explicitly do so by using the
<a href="reference/key_extraction.html#composite_key_hash"><code>composite_key_hash</code></a>
utility:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>tuned_int_hash</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=keyword>operator</span><span class=special>()(</span><span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>)</span><span class=keyword>const</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=comment>// specially tuned hash for this application</span>
<span class=special>}</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>hashed_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span> <span class=comment>// indexed by quadrant coordinates</span>
<span class=identifier>composite_key</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>composite_key_hash</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>tuned_int_hash</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>tuned_int_hash</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>hashed_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span> <span class=comment>// indexed by street name</span>
<span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>street_entry</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>street_locator</span><span class=special>;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
Also, equality of composite keys can be tuned with
<a href="reference/key_extraction.html#composite_key_equal_to"><code>composite_key_equal_to</code></a>,
though in most cases the default equality predicate (relying on
the <code>std::equal_to</code> instantiations for the element types)
will be the right choice.
</p>
<p>
Unlike with ordered indices, we cannot perform partial searches specifying
only the first elements of a composite key:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=comment>// try to locate streets in quadrants with x==0
// compile-time error: hashed indices do not allow such operations</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>pair</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>street_locator</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>iterator</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>street_locator</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>iterator</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>p</span><span class=special>=</span>
<span class=identifier>sl</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>equal_range</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>make_tuple</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=number>0</span><span class=special>));</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
The reason for this limitation is quite logical: as the hash value of a composite
key depends on all of its elements, it is impossible to calculate it from
partial information.
</p>
<h2><a name="advanced_key_extractors">Advanced features of Boost.MultiIndex key
extractors</a></h2>
<p>
The <a href="reference/key_extraction.html#key_extractors"><code>Key Extractor</code></a>
concept allows the same object to extract keys from several different types,
possibly through suitably defined overloads of <code>operator()</code>:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=comment>// example of a name extractor from employee and employee *</span>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>name_extractor</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=keyword>operator</span><span class=special>()(</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>e</span><span class=special>)</span><span class=keyword>const</span><span class=special>{</span><span class=keyword>return</span> <span class=identifier>e</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>;}</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=keyword>operator</span><span class=special>()(</span><span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>e</span><span class=special>)</span><span class=keyword>const</span><span class=special>{</span><span class=keyword>return</span> <span class=identifier>e</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>;}</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=keyword>operator</span><span class=special>()(</span><span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>*</span> <span class=identifier>e</span><span class=special>)</span><span class=keyword>const</span><span class=special>{</span><span class=keyword>return</span> <span class=identifier>e</span><span class=special>-&gt;</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>;}</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
This possibility is fully exploited by predefined key extractors provided
by Boost.MultiIndex, making it simpler to define <code>multi_index_container</code>s
where elements are pointers or references to the actual objects. The following
specifies a <code>multi_index_container</code> of pointers to employees sorted by their
names.
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>employee</span> <span class=special>*,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>employee_set</span><span class=special>;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
Note that this is specified in exactly the same manner as a <code>multi_index_container</code>
of actual <code>employee</code> objects: <code>member</code> takes care of the
extra dereferencing needed to gain access to <code>employee::name</code>. A similar
functionality is provided for interoperability with reference wrappers from
<a href="../../../doc/html/ref.html">Boost.Ref</a>:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>reference_wrapper</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>string</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>employee</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>name</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>employee_set</span><span class=special>;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
In fact, support for pointers is further extended to accept what we call
<i>chained pointers</i>. Such a chained pointer is defined by induction as a raw or
smart pointer or iterator to the actual element, to a reference wrapper of the
element or <i>to another chained pointer</i>; that is, chained pointers are arbitrary
compositions of pointer-like types ultimately dereferencing
to the element from where the key is to be extracted. Examples of chained
pointers to <code>employee</code> are:
<ul>
<li><code>employee *</code>,</li>
<li><code>const employee *</code>,</li>
<li><code>std::auto_ptr&lt;employee></code>,</li>
<li><code>std::list&lt;boost::reference_wrapper&lt;employee> >::iterator</code>,</li>
<li><code>employee **</code>,</li>
<li><code>boost::shared_ptr&lt;const employee *></code>.</li>
</ul>
In general, chained pointers with dereferencing distance greater than 1 are not
likely to be used in a normal program, but they can arise in frameworks
which construct "views" as <code>multi_index_container</code>s from preexisting
<code>multi_index_container</code>s.
</p>
<p>
In order to present a short summary of the different usages of Boost.MultiIndex
key extractors in the presence of reference wrappers and pointers, consider the
following final type:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>T</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>i</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>j</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>f</span><span class=special>()</span><span class=keyword>const</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span> <span class=identifier>g</span><span class=special>();</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
The table below lists the appropriate key extractors to be used for
different pointer and reference wrapper types based on <code>T</code>, for
each of its members.
</p>
<p align="center">
<table cellspacing="0">
<caption><b>Use cases for Boost.MultiIndex key extractors.</b></caption>
<tr>
<th>element type</th>
<th>&nbsp;key&nbsp;</th>
<th>key extractor</th>
<th>applicable to<br><code>const</code> elements?</th>
<th>read/write?</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" rowspan="4"><code>T</code></td>
<td><code>i</code></td>
<td><code>member&lt;T,int,&amp;T::i></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>j</code></td>
<td><code>member&lt;T,const int,&amp;T::j></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>f()</code></td>
<td><code>const_mem_fun&lt;T,int,&amp;T::f></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>g()</code></td>
<td><code>mem_fun&lt;T,int,&amp;T::g></code></td>
<td align="center">no</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd_tr">
<td align="center" rowspan="4"><code>reference_wrapper&lt;T></code></td>
<td><code>i</code></td>
<td><code>member&lt;T,int,&amp;T::i></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd_tr">
<td><code>j</code></td>
<td><code>member&lt;T,const int,&amp;T::j></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd_tr">
<td><code>f()</code></td>
<td><code>const_mem_fun&lt;T,int,&amp;T::f></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd_tr">
<td><code>g()</code></td>
<td><code>mem_fun&lt;T,int,&amp;T::g></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" rowspan="4"><code>reference_wrapper&lt;const T></code></td>
<td><code>i</code></td>
<td><code>member&lt;T,const int,&amp;T::i></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>j</code></td>
<td><code>member&lt;T,const int,&amp;T::j></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>f()</code></td>
<td><code>const_mem_fun&lt;T,int,&amp;T::f></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>g()</code></td>
<td colspan="3">&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd_tr">
<td align="center" rowspan="4">chained pointer to <code>T</code><br>
or to <code>reference_wrapper&lt;T></code></td>
<td><code>i</code></td>
<td><code>member&lt;T,int,&amp;T::i></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd_tr">
<td><code>j</code></td>
<td><code>member&lt;T,const int,&amp;T::j></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd_tr">
<td><code>f()</code></td>
<td><code>const_mem_fun&lt;T,int,&amp;T::f></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd_tr">
<td><code>g()</code></td>
<td><code>mem_fun&lt;T,int,&amp;T::g></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" rowspan="4">chained pointer to <code>const T</code><br>
or to <code>reference_wrapper&lt;const T></code></td>
<td><code>i</code></td>
<td><code>member&lt;T,const int,&amp;T::i></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>j</code></td>
<td><code>member&lt;T,const int,&amp;T::j></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>f()</code></td>
<td><code>const_mem_fun&lt;T,int,&amp;T::f></code></td>
<td align="center">yes</td>
<td align="center">no</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>g()</code></td>
<td colspan="3">&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
</table>
</p>
<p>
The column "applicable to <code>const</code> elements?" states whether the
corresponding key extractor can be used when passed constant elements (this
relates to the elements specified in the first column, not the referenced
<code>T</code> objects). The only negative case is for <code>T::g</code> when
the elements are raw <code>T</code> objects, which make sense as we are dealing
with a non-constant member function: this also implies that <code>multi_index_container</code>s
of elements of <code>T</code> cannot be sorted by <code>T::g</code>, because
elements contained within a <code>multi_index_container</code> are treated as constant.
</p>
<p>
A key extractor is called <i>read/write</i> if it returns a non-constant reference
to the key when passed a non-constant element, and it is called <i>read-only</i>
otherwise. In order to use <code>multi_index_container::modify_key</code>, the associated
key extractor must be read/write. The column "read/write?" shows that most
combinations yield read-only extractors.
</p>
<p>
Some care has to be taken to preserve <code>const</code>-correctness in the
specification of the key extractors: in some sense, the <code>const</code>
qualifier is carried along to the member part, even if that particular
member is not defined as <code>const</code>. For instance, if the elements
are of type <code>const T *</code>, sorting by <code>T::i</code> is <i>not</i>
specified as <code>member&lt;const T,int,&amp;T::i></code>, but rather as
<code>member&lt;T,const int,&amp;T::i></code>.
</p>
<p>
For practical demonstrations of use of these key extractors, refer to
<a href="examples.html#example2">example 2</a> and
<a href="examples.html#example6">example 6</a> in the examples section.
</p>
<h2><a name="ctor_args_list">Use of <code>ctor_args_list</code></a></h2>
<p>
Although in most cases <code>multi_index_container</code>s will be default constructed
(or copied from a preexisting <code>multi_index_container</code>), sometimes it is
necessary to specify particular values for the internal objects used (key extractors,
comparison predicates, allocator), for instance if some of these objects do not have
a default constructor. The same situation can arise with standard STL containers,
which allow for the optional specification of such objects:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=comment>// example of non-default constructed std::set</span>
<span class=keyword>template</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>typename</span> <span class=identifier>IntegralType</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>modulo_less</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=identifier>modulo_less</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>IntegralType</span> <span class=identifier>m</span><span class=special>):</span><span class=identifier>modulo</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>m</span><span class=special>){}</span>
<span class=keyword>bool</span> <span class=keyword>operator</span><span class=special>()(</span><span class=identifier>IntegralType</span> <span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>IntegralType</span> <span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>)</span><span class=keyword>const</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>return</span> <span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>x</span><span class=special>%</span><span class=identifier>modulo</span><span class=special>)&lt;(</span><span class=identifier>y</span><span class=special>%</span><span class=identifier>modulo</span><span class=special>);</span>
<span class=special>}</span>
<span class=keyword>private</span><span class=special>:</span>
<span class=identifier>IntegralType</span> <span class=identifier>modulo</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>set</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>modulo_less</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>modulo_set</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>modulo_set</span> <span class=identifier>m</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>modulo_less</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;(</span><span class=number>10</span><span class=special>));</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
<code>multi_index_container</code> does also provide this functionality, though in a
considerably more complex fashion, due to the fact that the constructor
of a <code>multi_index_container</code> has to accept values for all the internal
objects of its indices. The full form of <code>multi_index_container</code> constructor
is
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>explicit</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>(</span>
<span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>ctor_args_list</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>args_list</span><span class=special>=</span><span class=identifier>ctor_args_list</span><span class=special>(),</span>
<span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>allocator_type</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>al</span><span class=special>=</span><span class=identifier>allocator_type</span><span class=special>());</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
The specification of the allocator object poses no particular problems;
as for the <code>ctor_args_list</code>, this object is designed so as to hold
the necessary construction values for every index in the <code>multi_index_container</code>.
From the point of view of the user, <code>ctor_args_list</code> is equivalent
to the type
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>tuple</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>C<sub>0</sub></span><span class=special>,...,</span><span class=identifier>C<sub>I-1</sub></span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
where <code>I</code> is the number of indices, and <code>C<sub>i</sub></code> is
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>nth_index</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>i</span><span class=special>&gt;::</span><span class=identifier>type</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>ctor_args</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
that is, the nested type <code>ctor_args</code> of the <code>i</code>-th index. Each
<code>ctor_args</code> type is in turn a tuple holding values for constructor
arguments of the associated index: so, ordered indices demand a key extractor object
and a comparison predicate, hashed indices take an initial number of buckets,
a key extractor, a hash function and an equality predicate; while sequenced indices do
not need any construction argument. For instance, given the definition
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>hashed_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span> <span class=identifier>modulo_less</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>sequenced</span><span class=special>&lt;&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>modulo_indexed_set</span><span class=special>;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
the corresponding <code>ctor_args_list</code> type is equivalent to
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>tuple</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=comment>// ctr_args of index #0</span>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>tuple</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>size_t</span><span class=special>,</span> <span class=comment>// initial number of buckets; 0 if unspecified</span>
<span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>hash</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>equal_to</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=comment>// ctr_args of index #1</span>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>tuple</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>modulo_less</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=comment>// sequenced indices do not have any construction argument</span>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>tuple</span><span class=special>&lt;&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
Such a <code>modulo_indexed_set</code> cannot be default constructed, because
<code>modulo_less</code> does not provide a default constructor. The following shows
how the construction can be done:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>modulo_indexed_set</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>ctor_args_list</span> <span class=identifier>args_list</span><span class=special>=</span>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>make_tuple</span><span class=special>(</span>
<span class=comment>// ctor_args for index #0 is default constructible</span>
<span class=identifier>modulo_indexed_set</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>nth_index</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=number>0</span><span class=special>&gt;::</span><span class=identifier>type</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>ctor_args</span><span class=special>(),</span>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>make_tuple</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;(),</span><span class=identifier>modulo_less</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>unsigned</span> <span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;(</span><span class=number>10</span><span class=special>)),</span>
<span class=comment>// this is also default constructible (actually, an empty tuple)</span>
<span class=identifier>modulo_indexed_set</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>nth_index</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=number>2</span><span class=special>&gt;::</span><span class=identifier>type</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>ctor_args</span><span class=special>(),</span>
<span class=special>);</span>
<span class=identifier>modulo_indexed_set</span> <span class=identifier>m</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>args_list</span><span class=special>);</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
A program is provided in the <a href="examples.html#example3">examples section</a> that
puts in practise these concepts.
</p>
<h2><a name="serialization">Serialization</a></h2>
<p>
<code>multi_index_container</code>s can be archived and retrieved by means of the
<a href="../../serialization/index.html">Boost Serialization Library</a>. Both regular
and XML archives are supported. The usage is straightforward and does not
differ from any other serializable type. For instance:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=preprocessor>#include</span> <span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>/</span><span class=identifier>archive</span><span class=special>/</span><span class=identifier>text_oarchive</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>hpp</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=preprocessor>#include</span> <span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>/</span><span class=identifier>archive</span><span class=special>/</span><span class=identifier>text_iarchive</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>hpp</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=preprocessor>#include</span> <span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>fstream</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>...</span>
<span class=keyword>void</span> <span class=identifier>save</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>employee_set</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>es</span><span class=special>)</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>ofstream</span> <span class=identifier>ofs</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=string>&quot;data&quot;</span><span class=special>);</span>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>archive</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>text_oarchive</span> <span class=identifier>oa</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>ofs</span><span class=special>);</span>
<span class=identifier>oa</span><span class=special>&lt;&lt;</span><span class=identifier>es</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>}</span>
<span class=keyword>void</span> <span class=identifier>load</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>employee_set</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>es</span><span class=special>)</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>ifstream</span> <span class=identifier>ifs</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=string>&quot;data&quot;</span><span class=special>);</span>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>archive</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>text_iarchive</span> <span class=identifier>ia</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>ifs</span><span class=special>);</span>
<span class=identifier>ia</span><span class=special>&gt;&gt;</span><span class=identifier>es</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>}</span>
<span class=special>...</span>
<span class=identifier>employee_set</span> <span class=identifier>es</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>...</span> <span class=comment>// fill it with data</span>
<span class=identifier>save</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>es</span><span class=special>);</span>
<span class=special>...</span>
<span class=identifier>employee_set</span> <span class=identifier>restored_es</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>load</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>restored_es</span><span class=special>);</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
Serialization capabilities are automatically provided by just linking with
the appropriate Boost.Serialization library module: it is not necessary
to explicitly include any header from Boost.Serialization,
apart from those declaring the type of archive used in the process. If not used,
however, serialization support can be disabled by globally defining the macro
<code>BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_DISABLE_SERIALIZATION</code>. Disabling serialization
for Boost.MultiIndex can yield a small improvement in build times, and may
be necessary in those defective compilers that fail to correctly process
Boost.Serialization headers.
</p>
<p>
When retrieving an archived <code>multi_index_container</code>, not only
the elements are restored, but also the order they were arranged into for
every index of the container. This is specially important with sequenced
indices, whose ordering is not automatically fixed, as happens for
ordered unique indices. Ordered <i>non-unique</i> indices are an in-between
case: elements with different keys are sorted in ascending order, but
there is no implicit traversal order for elements with the same key.
Serialization of <code>multi_index_container</code> addresses this issue,
so that restored ordered non-unique indices are sorted in exactly the
same way as their originals. As for hashed indices, no guarantee is made
about the order in which elements will be iterated in the restored
container: in general, it is unwise to rely on the ordering of elements
of a hashed index, since it can change in arbitrary ways during
insertion or rehashing.
</p>
<p>
Iterators to indices of a <code>multi_index_container</code> can also be
serialized. Serialization of iterators must be done only after serializing
its corresponding container.
</p>
<p>
<a href="examples.html#example9">Example 9</a> in the examples section shows
the serialization capabilities of Boost.MultiIndex.
</p>
<h2><a name="debugging_support">Debugging support</a></h2>
<p>
The concept of <i>Design by Contract</i>, originally developed as part
of Bertrand Meyer's <a href="http://www.eiffel.com">Eiffel</a> language,
revolves around the formulation of a <i>contract</i> between the user
of a library and the implementor, by which the first is required to
respect some <i>preconditions</i> on the values passed when invoking
methods of the library, and the implementor guarantees in return
that certain constraints on the results are met (<i>postconditions</i>),
as well as the honoring of specified internal consistency rules, called
<i>invariants</i>. Eiffel natively supports the three parts of the
contract just described by means of constructs <code>require</code>,
<code>ensure</code> and <code>invariant</code>, respectively.
</p>
<p>
C++ does not enjoy direct support for Design by Contract techniques: these
are customarily implemented as assertion code, often turned off in
release mode for performance reasons. Following this approach,
Boost.MultiIndex provides two distinct debugging modes:
<ul>
<li><i>Safe mode</i> checks preconditions on the invocations to the
facilities of the library,</li>
<li><i>invariant-checking mode</i> performs post-execution checks aimed
at ensuring that the internal consistency of the library is preserved.</li>
</ul>
These two modes are independent of each other and can be set on or off
individually. It is important to note that errors detected by safe mode are
due in principle to faulty code in the user's program, while
invariant-checking mode detects potential <i>internal</i> bugs in the
implementation of Boost.MultiIndex.
</p>
<h3><a name="safe_mode">Safe mode</a></h3>
<p>
The idea of adding precondition checking facilities to STL as a debugging aid
was first introduced by Cay S. Horstmann in his
<a href="http://www.horstmann.com/safestl.html">Safe STL</a> library and later
adopted by <a href="http://www.stlport.org/doc/debug_mode.html">STLport Debug
Mode</a>. Similarly, Boost.MultiIndex features the so-called <i>safe mode</i>
in which all sorts of preconditions are checked when dealing with iterators
and functions of the library.
</p>
<p>
Boost.MultiIndex safe mode is set by globally defining the macro
<code>BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_ENABLE_SAFE_MODE</code>. Error conditions
are checked via the macro <code>BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_SAFE_MODE_ASSERT</code>, which
by default resolves to a call to <a href="../../../libs/utility/assert.html">
<code>BOOST_ASSERT</code></a>.
</p>
<p>
If the user decides to define her own version of
<code>BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_SAFE_MODE_ASSERT</code>, it has to take the form
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_SAFE_MODE_ASSERT</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>expr</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>error_code</span><span class=special>)</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
where <code>expr</code> is the condition checked and <code>error_code</code>
is one value of the <code>safe_mode::error_code</code> enumeration:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>namespace</span> <span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>namespace</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index</span><span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>namespace</span> <span class=identifier>safe_mode</span><span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>enum</span> <span class=identifier>error_code</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=identifier>invalid_iterator</span><span class=special>,</span> <span class=comment>// vg. default cted or pointing to erased element</span>
<span class=identifier>not_dereferenceable_iterator</span><span class=special>,</span> <span class=comment>// iterator is not dereferenceable</span>
<span class=identifier>not_incrementable_iterator</span><span class=special>,</span> <span class=comment>// iterator points to end of sequence</span>
<span class=identifier>not_decrementable_iterator</span><span class=special>,</span> <span class=comment>// iterator points to beginning of sequence</span>
<span class=identifier>not_owner</span><span class=special>,</span> <span class=comment>// iterator does not belong to the container</span>
<span class=identifier>not_same_owner</span><span class=special>,</span> <span class=comment>// iterators belong to different containers</span>
<span class=identifier>invalid_range</span><span class=special>,</span> <span class=comment>// last not reachable from first</span>
<span class=identifier>inside_range</span><span class=special>,</span> <span class=comment>// iterator lies within a range (and it mustn't)</span>
<span class=identifier>same_container</span> <span class=comment>// containers ought to be different</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
<span class=special>}</span> <span class=comment>// namespace multi_index::safe_mode</span>
<span class=special>}</span> <span class=comment>// namespace multi_index</span>
<span class=special>}</span> <span class=comment>// namespace boost</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
For instance, the following replacement of
<code>BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_SAFE_MODE_ASSERT</code> throws an exception instead of
asserting:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=preprocessor>#include</span> <span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>/</span><span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>/</span><span class=identifier>safe_mode_errors</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>hpp</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>safe_mode_exception</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=identifier>safe_mode_exception</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>multi_index</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>safe_mode</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>error_code</span> <span class=identifier>error_code</span><span class=special>):</span>
<span class=identifier>error_code</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>error_code</span><span class=special>)</span>
<span class=special>{}</span>
<span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>multi_index</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>safe_mode</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>error_code</span> <span class=identifier>error_code</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
<span class=preprocessor>#define</span> <span class=identifier>BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_SAFE_MODE_ASSERT</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>expr</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>error_code</span><span class=special>)</span> <span class=special>\</span>
<span class=keyword>if</span><span class=special>(!(</span><span class=identifier>expr</span><span class=special>)){</span><span class=keyword>throw</span> <span class=identifier>safe_mode_exception</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>error_code</span><span class=special>);}</span>
<span class=comment>// This has to go before the inclusion of any header from Boost.MultiIndex,
// except possibly safe_error_codes.hpp.</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
Other possibilites, like outputting to a log or firing some kind of alert, are
also implementable.
</p>
<p>
<b>Warning:</b> Safe mode adds a very important overhead to the program
both in terms of space and time used, so in general it should not be set for
<code>NDEBUG</code> builds. Also, this mode is intended solely as a debugging aid,
and programs must not rely on it as part of their normal execution flow: in
particular, no guarantee is made that all possible precondition errors are diagnosed,
or that the checks remain stable across different versions of the library.
</p>
<h4><a name="serialization_and_safe_mode">Serialization and safe mode</a></h4>
<p>
Iterators restored from an archive are not subject to safe mode checks. This is
so because it is not possible to automatically know the associated
<code>multi_index_container</code> of an iterator from the serialization
information alone. However, if desired, a restored iterator can be converted to a
checked value by using the following workaround:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>employee_set</span> <span class=identifier>es</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>employee_set</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>nth_index</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=number>1</span><span class=special>&gt;::</span><span class=identifier>iterator</span> <span class=identifier>it</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=comment>// restore es and it from an archive ar</span>
<span class=identifier>ar</span><span class=special>&gt;&gt;</span><span class=identifier>es</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>ar</span><span class=special>&gt;&gt;</span><span class=identifier>it</span><span class=special>;</span> <span class=comment>// it won't benefit from safe mode checks
// turn it into a checked value by providing
// Boost.MultiIndex with info about the associated container</span>
<span class=identifier>it</span><span class=special>=</span><span class=identifier>es</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>project</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=number>1</span><span class=special>&gt;(</span><span class=identifier>it</span><span class=special>);</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<h3><a name="invariant_check">Invariant-checking mode</a></h3>
<p>
The so called <i>invariant-checking mode</i> of Boost.MultiIndex can be
set by globally defining the macro
<code>BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_ENABLE_INVARIANT_CHECKING</code>.
When this mode is in effect, all public functions of Boost.MultiIndex
will perform post-execution tests aimed at ensuring that the basic
internal invariants of the data structures managed are preserved.
</p>
<p>
If an invariant test fails, Boost.MultiIndex will indicate the failure
by means of the unary macro <code>BOOST_MULTI_INDEX_INVARIANT_ASSERT</code>.
Unless the user provides a definition for this macro, it defaults to
<a href="../../../libs/utility/assert.html">
<code>BOOST_ASSERT</code></a>. Any assertion of this kind should
be regarded in principle as a bug in the library. Please report such
problems, along with as much contextual information as possible, to the
maintainer of the library.
</p>
<p>
It is recommended that users of Boost.MultiIndex always set the
invariant-checking mode in debug builds.
</p>
<h2><a name="emulate_std_containers">Emulating standard containers with
<code>multi_index_container</code></a></h2>
<h3><a name="emulate_assoc_containers">Emulation of associative
containers</a></h3>
<p>
Academic movitations aside, there is a practical interest in emulating standard
associative containers by means of <code>multi_index_container</code>, namely to take
advantage of extended functionalities provided by <code>multi_index_container</code> for
lookup, range querying and updating.
</p>
<p>
In order to emulate a <code>std::set</code> one can follow the substitution
rule:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>set</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Compare</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Allocator</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>-&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>ordered_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span><span class=identifier>Compare</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>Allocator</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
In the default case where <code>Compare=std::less&lt;Key></code> and
<code>Allocator=std::allocator&lt;Key></code>, the substitution rule is
simplified as
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>set</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>-&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
The substitution of <code>multi_index_container</code> for <code>std::set</code> keeps
the whole set of functionality provided by <code>std::set</code>, so in
principle it is a drop-in replacement needing no further adjustments.
</p>
<p>
<code>std::multiset</code> can be emulated in a similar manner, according to the
following rule:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>multiset</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Compare</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Allocator</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>-&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>ordered_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span><span class=identifier>Compare</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>Allocator</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
When default values are taken into consideration, the rule takes the form
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>multiset</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>-&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>ordered_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
The emulation of <code>std::multiset</code>s with <code>multi_index_container</code>
results in a slight difference with respect to the interface offered: the member
function <code>insert(const value_type&amp;)</code> does not return an
<code>iterator</code> as in <code>std::multiset</code>s, but rather a
<code>std::pair&lt;iterator,bool></code> in the spirit of <code>std::set</code>s.
In this particular case, however, the <code>bool</code> member of the returned
pair is always <code>true</code>.
</p>
<p>
The case of <code>std::map</code>s and <code>std::multimap</code>s does not lend
itself to such a direct emulation by means of <code>multi_index_container</code>. The main
problem lies in the fact that elements of a <code>multi_index_container</code> are treated
as constant, while the <code>std::map</code> and <code>std::multimap</code> handle
objects of type <code>std::pair&lt;const Key,T></code>, thus allowing for free
modification of the value part. To overcome this difficulty we need to create an ad
hoc pair class:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>template</span> <span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>typename</span> <span class=identifier>T1</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>typename</span> <span class=identifier>T2</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>mutable_pair</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>T1</span> <span class=identifier>first_type</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>T2</span> <span class=identifier>second_type</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=identifier>mutable_pair</span><span class=special>():</span><span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>T1</span><span class=special>()),</span><span class=identifier>second</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>T2</span><span class=special>()){}</span>
<span class=identifier>mutable_pair</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>T1</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>f</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>T2</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>s</span><span class=special>):</span><span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>f</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>second</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>s</span><span class=special>){}</span>
<span class=identifier>mutable_pair</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>pair</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>T1</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>T2</span><span class=special>&gt;&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>p</span><span class=special>):</span><span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>p</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>),</span><span class=identifier>second</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>p</span><span class=special>.</span><span class=identifier>second</span><span class=special>){}</span>
<span class=identifier>T1</span> <span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=keyword>mutable</span> <span class=identifier>T2</span> <span class=identifier>second</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
and so the substitution rules are:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>map</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Compare</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Allocator</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>-&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span><span class=identifier>Compare</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=keyword>typename</span> <span class=identifier>Allocator</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=keyword>template</span> <span class=identifier>rebind</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>&gt;::</span><span class=identifier>other</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>multimap</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Compare</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Allocator</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>-&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span><span class=identifier>Compare</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=keyword>typename</span> <span class=identifier>Allocator</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=keyword>template</span> <span class=identifier>rebind</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>&gt;::</span><span class=identifier>other</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
(<span class=identifier>with</span> <span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>=</span><span class=identifier>mutable_pair</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>)
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
If default values are considered, the rules take the form:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>map</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>-&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>,
</span><span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>ordered_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>multimap</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>-&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>,
</span><span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>ordered_non_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>member</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,&amp;</span><span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>first</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
(<span class=identifier>with</span> <span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>=</span><span class=identifier>mutable_pair</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Key</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>)
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
Unlike as with standard sets, the interface of these <code>multi_index_container</code>-emulated
maps does not exactly conform to that of <code>std::map</code>s and
<code>std::multimap</code>s. The most obvious difference is the lack of
<code>operator []</code>, either in read or write mode; this, however, can be
emulated with appropriate use of <code>find</code> and <code>insert</code>.
</p>
<p>
These emulations of standard associative containers with <code>multi_index_container</code>
are comparable to the original constructs in terms of space and time efficiency.
See the <a href="performance.html">performance section</a> for further details.
</p>
<h3><a name="emulate_std_list">Emulation of <code>std::list</code></a></h3>
<p>
Unlike the case of associative containers, emulating <code>std::list</code>
in Boost.MultiIndex does not add any significant functionality, so the following
is presented merely for completeness sake.
</p>
<p>
Much as with standard maps, the main difficulty to overcome when emulating
<code>std::list</code> derives from the constant nature of elements of a
<code>multi_index_container</code>. Again, some sort of adaption class is needed, like
for instance the following:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>template</span> <span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>typename</span> <span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=keyword>struct</span> <span class=identifier>mutable_value</span>
<span class=special>{</span>
<span class=identifier>mutable_value</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=keyword>const</span> <span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>&amp;</span> <span class=identifier>t</span><span class=special>):</span><span class=identifier>t</span><span class=special>(</span><span class=identifier>t</span><span class=special>){}</span>
<span class=keyword>operator</span> <span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>&amp;()</span><span class=keyword>const</span><span class=special>{</span><span class=keyword>return</span> <span class=identifier>t</span><span class=special>;}</span>
<span class=keyword>private</span><span class=special>:</span>
<span class=keyword>mutable</span> <span class=identifier>T</span> <span class=identifier>t</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=special>};</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
which allows us to use the substitution rule:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>list</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>,</span><span class=identifier>Allocator</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>-&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>sequenced</span><span class=special>&lt;&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=keyword>typename</span> <span class=identifier>Allocator</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=keyword>template</span> <span class=identifier>rebind</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>&gt;::</span><span class=identifier>other</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
(<span class=identifier>with</span> <span class=identifier>Element</span><span class=special>=</span><span class=identifier>mutable_value</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>&gt;</span>)
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
or, if the default value <code>Allocator=std::allocator&lt;T></code> is used:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>std</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>list</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>-&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>mutable_value</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>T</span><span class=special>&gt;,</span><span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>sequenced</span><span class=special>&lt;&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<h2><a name="metaprogrammming">Metaprogramming and <code>multi_index_container</code></a></h2>
<p>
Boost.MultiIndex provides a number of facilities intended to allow the analysis and
synthesis of <code>multi_index_container</code> instantiations by
<a href="../../../libs/mpl/doc/index.html">MPL</a> metaprograms.
</p>
<h3><a name="mpl_analysis">MPL analysis</a></h3>
<p>
Given a <code>multi_index_container</code> instantiation, the following nested types are
provided for compile-time inspection of the various types occurring in the
definition of the <code>multi_index_container</code>:
<ul>
<li><code>index_specifier_type_list</code>,</li>
<li><code>index_type_list</code>,</li>
<li><code>iterator_type_list</code>,</li>
<li><code>const_iterator_type_list</code>.</li>
</ul>
Each of these types is an MPL sequence with as many elements as indices
comprise the <code>multi_index_container</code>: for instance, the <code>n</code>-th
element of <code>iterator_type_list</code> is the same as
<code>nth_index_iterator&lt;n>::type</code>.
</p>
<p>
A subtle but important distinction exists between
<code>index_specifier_type_list</code> and <code>index_type_list</code>:
the former typelist holds the index <i>specifiers</i>
with which the <code>multi_index_container</code> instantiation was defined,
while the latter gives access to the actual implementation classes
corresponding to each specifier. An example will help to clarify
this distinction. Given the instantiation:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;,</span>
<span class=identifier>sequenced</span><span class=special>&lt;&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>indexed_t</span><span class=special>;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
<code>indexed_t::index_specifier_type_list</code> is a type list with
elements
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>ordered_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=identifier>sequenced</span><span class=special>&lt;&gt;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
while <code>indexed_t::index_type_list</code> holds the types
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>nth_type</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=number>0</span><span class=special>&gt;::</span><span class=identifier>type</span>
<span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>nth_type</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=number>1</span><span class=special>&gt;::</span><span class=identifier>type</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
so the typelists are radically different. Check the
<a href="reference/multi_index_container.html#types">reference</a>
for the exact MPL sequence concepts modeled by these type lists.
</p>
<h3><a name="mpl_synthesis">MPL synthesis</a></h3>
<p>
Although typically indices are specified by means of the
<code>indexed_by</code> construct, actually any MPL sequence of
index specifiers can be provided instead:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>mpl</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>vector</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>ordered_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;,</span><span class=identifier>sequenced</span><span class=special>&lt;&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>index_list_t</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>index_list_t</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>indexed_t</span><span class=special>;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
<p>
This possibility enables the synthesis of instantiations of
<code>multi_index_container</code> through MPL metaprograms, as the following
example shows:
</p>
<blockquote><pre>
<span class=comment>// original multi_index_container instantiation</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_by</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>ordered_unique</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=identifier>identity</span><span class=special>&lt;</span><span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>indexed_t1</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=comment>// we take its index list and add an index</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>boost</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>mpl</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>push_front</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=identifier>indexed_t1</span><span class=special>::</span><span class=identifier>index_specifier_type_list</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>sequenced</span><span class=special>&lt;&gt;</span>
<span class=special>&gt;::</span><span class=identifier>type</span> <span class=identifier>index_list_t</span><span class=special>;</span>
<span class=comment>// augmented multi_index_container</span>
<span class=keyword>typedef</span> <span class=identifier>multi_index_container</span><span class=special>&lt;</span>
<span class=keyword>int</span><span class=special>,</span>
<span class=identifier>index_list_t</span>
<span class=special>&gt;</span> <span class=identifier>indexed_t2</span><span class=special>;</span>
</pre></blockquote>
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<p>Revised August 24th 2005</p>
<p>&copy; Copyright 2003-2005 Joaqu&iacute;n M L&oacute;pez Mu&ntilde;oz.
Distributed under the Boost Software
License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying file <a href="../../../LICENSE_1_0.txt">
LICENSE_1_0.txt</a> or copy at <a href="http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt">
http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt</a>)
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