7.10 Compiling Templates

Like an ordinary function, a function template requires a definition before the function can be called. Like an ordinary class, a class template requires a definition for each member function and static data member before they can be used. Unlike ordinary functions or members, however, templates are typically defined in every source file.

Templates are often used by placing a template declaration and all supporting definitions in a header file, (e.g., template.h). Then #include that file anywhere the template is needed. For every implicit or explicit instantiation, the compiler generates the necessary code for the template's instantiation. If multiple source files instantiate the same template with the same arguments, the compiler and linker ensure that the program contains a single copy of the instantiated functions and members.

Different compilers use different techniques to ensure that the program contains a single copy of each template instance. The following are four different approaches:

The most common approach is to have the compiler keep track of which source files require which instantiations. When the program is linked, the compiler combines all the lists of required instantiations and compiles the template instantiations at that time. As an optimization, the compiler saves the compiled instantiations, so an instantiation that does not change does not need to be recompiled.
Another approach is to have the compiler generate the code for all needed instantiations when it compiles each source file. The linker identifies duplicate instantiations and ensures that the linked program gets a single copy of each instantiation.
A third approach is to separate the template declaration from its associated definitions. If the declaration is in template.h, the definitions are in template.cc. The compiler automatically locates the definition file from the name of the declaration file. In this scenario, the compiler keeps track of which instantiations it needs and compiles each of them only once.
Another approach uses the export keyword to declare and define templates. An exported template lets you define a function template or all the members of a class template in a separate source file. The template's header contains only the declarations.

As I write this, exactly one compiler supports export. (See the book's web site for current details.) Major compiler vendors are finally moving toward full conformance with the standard, including export. Nonetheless, I doubt export will see widespread support, at least for the next few years.

If portability is important to you, do not use export.

Consult your compiler's documentation to learn how it handles templates. When writing a template that can be used by multiple compilers, a common technique is to put the declaration in a header file (e.g., template.h), and the definitions in another file (e.g., template.cc), and at the end of template.h, use conditional directives to #include "template.cc" for those compilers where it is needed. Use conditional compilation to define a macro only for compilers that support export. Example 7-18 shows this common pattern.

Example 7-18. Declaring and defining a template

// point.h

#ifndef POINT_H

#define POINT_H



#ifdef HAS_EXPORT

 #define EXPORT export

#else

 #define EXPORT

#endif



EXPORT template<typename T>

class point {

public:

  point(T a, T b);

  point(  );

  T x(  ) const { return x_; }

  T y(  ) const { return y_; }

private:

  T x_, y_;

};



 #ifdef NEED_TEMPLATE_DEFINITIONS

  #include "point.cc"

 #endif

#endif // POINT_H



// point.cc

#include "point.h"

EXPORT template<typename T>

point<T>::point(T a, T b)

: x_(a), y_(b)

{}



EXPORT template<typename T>

point<T>::point(  )

: x_(T(  )), y_(T(  ))

{}



// program.cc

#include "point.h"

int main(  )

{

  point<float> ptf;

  point<int> pti;

  ...

}

If your compiler supports export, define HAS_EXPORT. If the compiler requires template definitions in every source file, define NEED_TEMPLATE_DEFINITIONS. Most compilers offer a way to define macros globally (e.g., in a project definition file, in a makefile, etc.). Another alternative is to use conditional compilation to test the predefined macros that most compilers define, and use those to set the template macros accordingly. Put these definitions in a configuration file that is included first by every other file, as shown in Example 7-19.

Example 7-19. Configuring template compilation macros

// config.h

#ifndef CONFIG_H

#define CONFIG_H



#ifdef _  _COMO_  _

  #define HAS_EXPORT

  #undef NEED_TEMPLATE_DEFINITIONS

#endif

#if defined(__BORLANDC__) || defined(_  _GNUC_  _)

  #undef HAS_EXPORT

  #define NEED_TEMPLATE_DEFINITIONS

#endif

...



#endif // CONFIG_H