Search code examples
c++stlboost-bindboost-tuples

boost::bind doesn't work with boost::tuple::get<N>()


I am trying to use boost::bind and STL with boost::tuple, but each time I try to compile I get the following error.

      error: call of overloaded ‘bind(<unresolved overloaded function type>, 
      boost::arg<1>&)’ is ambiguous

Do you know what I am doing wrong here and why is only for the boost::arg<1>?

Thanks AFG

    #include <iostream>
    #include <algorithm>
    #include <vector>
    #include <cstdio>
    #include <boost/tuple/tuple.hpp>
    #include <boost/assign.hpp>
    #include <boost/bind.hpp>

    int main( int argc, const char** argv ){


            using namespace boost::assign;
            typedef boost::tuple< int, double > eth_array;

            std::vector< eth_array > v;
            v+= boost::make_tuple( 10,23.4), boost::make_tuple( 12,24.4) );
            std::for_each( v.begin()
                    , v.end()
                    , boost::bind<int>(
                            printf
                            , "%d-%f"
                            , boost::bind( eth_array::get<0>, _1 )
                            , boost::bind( eth_array::get<1>, _1 )
                     )
            );

Solution

  • The get function has more than one template parameter: in addition to the index, it is also parameterized on the content of the tuple (the head and the tail of the cons).

    Consequently, get<0> is not an instantiation of the template; you need to provide the additional arguments:

    typedef eth_array::head_type head;
    typedef eth_array::tail_type tail;
    
    ... get<0, head, tail> ...
    

    However, this still won't work because get is overloaded (const and non-const version), so you need to explicitely state which overload you want. To do so, you need to use a function pointer with the correct type:

    // const version of get, which takes and returns const references
    int const & (*get0)( boost::tuples::cons<head, tail> const & ) = 
        boost::get<0, head, tail>;
    double const & (*get1)( boost::tuples::cons<head, tail> const & ) = 
        boost::get<1, head, tail>;
    

    Now you can use these function pointers in your bind expression:

    std::for_each( v.begin(),
                   v.end(),
                   boost::bind<int>(
                       printf,
                       "%d-%f",
                       boost::bind( get0, _1 ),
                       boost::bind( get1, _1 )
                   )
    );
    // outputs 10-23.40000012-24.400000
    

    As you can see, overloaded function templates and bind does not get along very well...