Combining boost range algorithms, eg. boost::copy and boost::remove_if

Question

I am trying to write a complex list of algorithms that must be applied to a range sequence. I would like to nest many algorithms using a syntax similar to the following code. My only problem is that it won't compile. Any suggestions?

bool pred(double x);

double d[]={1,2,3,4};
std::vector<double> x(d,d+4);
std::vector<double> y;
boost::copy( x, std::back_inserter(y) );   // OK
boost::copy( boost::remove_if(x,&pred), std::back_inserter(y) ); // ERROR

For this syntax to work, I don't want to have to specify the template parameters for the inner algorithm. This could be simplified with the use of auto keyword, but I need to keep the code backwards compatible.

This is a fragment of the error messages:

1>c:\dev\thirdparty\boost\boost-1.48.0-windows-vc90-x32-p64925\installed\include\boost-1_48\boost/range/iterator.hpp(63) : error C2039: 'type' : is not a member of 'boost::mpl::eval_if_c<C,F1,F2>'
1>        with
1>        [
1>            C=true,
1>            F1=boost::range_const_iterator<std::_Vector_iterator<double,std::allocator<double>>>,
1>            F2=boost::range_mutable_iterator<const std::_Vector_iterator<double,std::allocator<double>>>
1>        ]

1>        c:\dev\thirdparty\boost\boost-1.48.0-windows-vc90-x32-p64925\installed\include\boost-1_48\boost/range/concepts.hpp(256) : see reference to class template instantiation 'boost::range_iterator<C>' being compiled
1>        with
1>        [
1>            C=const std::_Vector_iterator<double,std::allocator<double>>
1>        ]
1>        c:\dev\thirdparty\boost\boost-1.48.0-windows-vc90-x32-p64925\installed\include\boost-1_48\boost/concept/detail/has_constraints.hpp(42) : see reference to class template instantiation 'boost::SinglePassRangeConcept<T>' being compiled
1>        with
1>        [
1>            T=const std::_Vector_iterator<double,std::allocator<double>>
1>        ]
1>        c:\dev\thirdparty\boost\boost-1.48.0-windows-vc90-x32-p64925\installed\include\boost-1_48\boost/concept/detail/msvc.hpp(53) : see reference to class template instantiation 'boost::concepts::not_satisfied<Model>' being compiled
1>        with
1>        [
1>            Model=boost::SinglePassRangeConcept<const std::_Vector_iterator<double,std::allocator<double>>>
1>        ]
1>        c:\dev\thirdparty\boost\boost-1.48.0-windows-vc90-x32-p64925\installed\include\boost-1_48\boost/range/algorithm/copy.hpp(33) : see reference to class template instantiation 'boost::concepts::require<Model>' being compiled
1>        with
1>        [
1>            Model=boost::SinglePassRangeConcept<const std::_Vector_iterator<double,std::allocator<double>>>
1>        ]
1>        ..\..\..\..\..\source\yotta\libraries\snl\unittests\StackOverflow.cpp(7) : see reference to function template instantiation 'OutputIterator boost::range::copy<std::_Vector_iterator<_Ty,_Alloc>,std::back_insert_iterator<_Container>>(const SinglePassRange &,OutputIterator)' being compiled
1>        with   
....

Answer 1

The problem is that remove_if (and all algorithms, for that matter) returns a single iterator, not a range, if you don't specify a range type that should be returned (which you don't seem to want).

A simple fix would be to use the adaptor filtered:

#include <boost/range/adaptor/filtered.hpp>
#include <boost/range/algorithm/copy.hpp>
#include <iterator>
#include <vector>
#include <iostream>

bool pred(double x){
  return x > 2.0;
}

int main(){

  double d[]={1,2,3,4};
  std::vector<double> x(d,d+4);
  std::vector<double> y;
  boost::copy( x | boost::adaptors::filtered(pred), std::back_inserter(y) );
  boost::copy( y, std::ostream_iterator<double>(std::cout, " ") );
}

Output: 3 4