C++ - Advanced Programming with STL
Length:
5 days
Description:
With this course students will learn the advanced features of the C++ standard template library (STL). The course
covers techniques for extending the STL and the C++ language. Students will learn advanced STL features
including the implementation of iterator and function object adapters. Advanced template programming
techniques used in the STL design will be covered as well.
Course Objective:
By taking this course student will:
Understand the concepts and architecture of the STL
Learn how to take advantage of the most commonly useful parts of the STL
Know how to avoid falling into common STL traps
Learn compiler diagnostics, debugging and workarounds for environment-specific limitations
Study containers and the differences among them
Learn how to use iterators, function objects and adapters
Study STL algorithms and common STL extensions
Audience:
Software engineers, designers and programmers who have experience programming in C++.
Prerequisites:
Experience with the C++ programming language. Introduction to STL and relational database are helpful.
Course Contents
Chapter 1 - Templates
Function template
Class template
Chapter 2 - How to generalize a function
The find algorithm, version 1
Assumptions, version 1
Transformation
The find algorithm, version 2
Assumptions, version 2
Accessing builtin array elements
Transformation
The find algorithm, version 3
Assumptions, version 3
Transformation
The find algorithm, version 4
Assumptions, version 4
Transformation
The find algorithm, version 5
Assumptions, version 5
Replacing builtin pointers with iterators
Transformation
The find algorithm, version 6
Assumptions, version 6
Container
Transformation
The find algorithm, version 7
Assumptions, version 7
Chapter 3 - Functors
How to create an object that behaves like a function
Chapter 4 - STL - The basics
What is STL?
Kinds of containers
vector's implementation
vector
The container vector
Notes
list
The container list
Notes
deque
The container deque
set
The container set
multiset
maps and pairs
map
The container map
multimap
Differences among containers
How to make your own algorithm
Chapter 5 - Smart pointers
Smart pointer
Scoped pointer
Auto pointer
Chapter 6 - Concepts and Architecture of the STL
Pointers into arrays
Searching an array
Using find
Generalizing find
Generalizing find again
std::find
STL algorithms
find and containers
Using find with list
find and other containers
STL and conventions
The extensibility of the STL
Generalizing find further
Using find_if
Function objects
What is "The STL"?
STL headers
STL and std
A sample program
2
The same program with using declarations
The same program with a using directive
Headers, std, and course examples
const_iterators
Sample program with const_iterator
iterators, const_iterators, and algorithms
Thread-safety and the STL
Chapter 7 - Containers I - Introduction and Sequence Containers
Container adapters
Standard containers
Universal standard container functionality
Summary of universal standard container functionality
The significance of vector and string
Size versus capacity
Performing "shrink to fit" on vectors and strings
vector
vector operations
vector insertion
Summary of vector operations
vector and array-based functions
vector<bool>
string
string and array-based functions
A (silly) string example
string functionality and the STL
deque
deque vs. vector
list
list and iterator/pointer/reference invalidation
Splicing lists
List specializations of general algorithms
Chapter 8 - Containers II - Associative Containers
Associative containers
Comparison functions
Specifying comparison functions
Comparison functions and containers of pointers
Equality vs. equivalence
The utility class pair
Set and multiset search functions
Set and multiset insert functions
Set and multiset erase functions
Maps and multimaps
Maps, multimaps, sets, and multisets
Map and multimap functionality
Operator[] for maps
The constness of associative container elements
An alternative to standard associative containers
General container functionality rules
Chapter 9 - Iterators
Beyond iterators and const_iterators
Reverse iterators
Converting reverse_iterators to iterators
3
The iterator/reverse_iterator offset
Converting iterators to const_iterators
Converting const_iterators to iterators
Stream iterators
istream_iterators
C++'s most vexing parse
ostream_iterators
An STL approach to the UNIX cat command
An STL approximation of UNIX's sort | uniq
Insert iterators
back_inserter
front_inserter
inserter
Iterator categories
Which iterators are in which categories
Iterators vs. pointers
Chapter 10 - Function objects and adapters
Function object adapters
Supporting function object adapters
Making built-in functions adaptable
Passing nonstatic member functions to algorithms
Passing member functions to algorithms
Binders, mem_fun, and mem_fun_ref
Standard function objects
Chapter 11 - Algorithms
The scope of STL algorithms
Algorithms we've already seen
Member functions vs. non-member functions
Game plan
for_each
transform
remove
Searching algorithms
Reordering algorithms
Modifying algorithms
Removing algorithms
Copying algorithms
Creation algorithms
Summarizing algorithms
Chapter 12 - Common STL extensions
STL extensions
Nonstandard hashed containers
The non-standard hashed containers
SGI's hashed containers: Interface
Dinkumware's hashed containers: Interface
Declaring simple hashed containers
SGI's hashed containers: Implementation
Dinkumware's hashed containers: Implementation
Hashed container summary
Other nonstandard STL containers
Common nonstandard function object adapters
4
Chapter 13 - STL information sources
Books
Implementation articles by P.J. Plauger
Other articles
Web sites
Newsgroups
The last words on everything C++
