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---
Title : C++ template definitions in a .cpp file (instead of a header file)
Author : Remy van Elst
Date : 22-06-2019
URL : https://raymii.org/s/snippets/Cpp_template_definitions_in_a_cpp_file_instead_of_header.html
Format : Markdown/HTML
---
In this snippet I'll show you how to place your C++ template definitions
in a seperate `.cpp` file. I'd recommend you to just put template definitions in
your header file, or a `.hpp` file, but if you really want to there is a trick to
get them in a seperate `.cpp` file. The trick is to explicitly instanciate every
template you're going to use at the end of the `.cpp` file. With many different
templates and types this becomes cumbersome, but for certain usecases it could
be useful.
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### Template definitions
Small recap on templates. A template is not an actual class or function, but
a "pattern" that the compiler uses to generate a family of classes or functions.
In order for the compiler to generate the code, it must see both the template
definition (not just declaration) and the specific types/whatever used to "fill
in" the template. For example, if you're trying to use a `Foo<int>`, the compiler
must see both the `Foo` template and the fact that you're trying to make a
specific `Foo<int>`. [See here for more explanation][1].
Placing templates in your `.h` files might result in cluttered header files, it
also could increase code bloat and the compiled binary size. (That however does
depend on how smart your compiler is). For the cluttering people often resort to
`.hpp` files. Which brings its own set of problems, for example with your build
system if you're doing something special.
The trick I found [here][2] is that you can place your template definitions in a
seperate `.cpp` file and explicitly instanciate every form of that template that
is going to be used in that `.cpp` file.
If you don't instanciate all forms in your `.cpp` file you will get
`undefined reference` errors, I'll show you an example later on.
The linker however does spew out the specific form so you can copy/paste it quickly.
### Example code
I've written a sample program with a class with one template function, one other class and the
`main.cpp` file. This is the directory layout, you can ignore the `CMake` files:
$ tree -L 1
.
|-- CMakeLists.txt
|-- TestClass1.cpp
|-- TestClass1.h
|-- TestClass2.cpp
|-- TestClass2.h
|-- cmake-build-debug
`-- main.cpp
1 directory, 6 files
#### TestClass1.h
This file contains the class with one template function. It does not contain the
template defintion, only the declaration. Normally you would define the entire template
here but that's the part we don't want to in this example.
#ifndef TESTCLASS1_H
#define TESTCLASS1_H
#include <iostream>
class TestClass
{
private:
bool m_bool1 { false };
public:
TestClass(bool bool1) : m_bool1(bool1) {}
// just the template declaration
template <typename T1, typename T2>
void templateFunction(T1 var1, T2 var2);
};
#endif //TESTCLASS1_H
#### TestClass1.cpp
This is where the template is defined, and at the bottom, instanciated
explicitly for the types we're going to use in the code.
#include <iostream>
#include "TestClass1.h"
//actual template definiton
template <typename T1, typename T2>
void TestClass::templateFunction (T1 var1, T2 var2) {
std::cout << "var1: " << var1 << ", ";
std::cout << "var2: " << var2 << ", ";
std::cout << "m_bool1: " << m_bool1 << "\n";
}
// Here is the explicit instanciation
template void TestClass::templateFunction<int, int>(int, int);
template void TestClass::templateFunction<char const*, char const*>(char const*, char const*);
#### TestClass2.h
This is just another class where the template is used, as an example.
#ifndef TESTCLASS2_H
#define TESTCLASS2_H
#include "TestClass1.h"
class TestClass2 {
private:
bool m_abc1 {false};
public:
void printTest();
};
#endif //TESTCLASS2_H
#### TestClass2.cpp
Here is the definition of the above function, where the other template is called
with a `const char *`.
#include "TestClass2.h"
void TestClass2::printTest () {
TestClass example(false);
example.templateFunction ("abc", "def");
};
#### main.cpp
It all comes together in the `main.cpp` file, one of both classes. I've used
two different methods of calling the class templated function, either explicitly
telling which types were using or just letting the compiler figure it out.
#include <iostream>
#include "TestClass1.h"
#include "TestClass2.h"
int main () {
TestClass example1(true);
example1.templateFunction<int, int> (1, 2);
example1.templateFunction (3, 4);
TestClass2 lala = TestClass2();
lala.printTest ();
return 0;
}
Example output:
var1: 1, var2: 2, m_bool1: 1
var1: 3, var2: 4, m_bool1: 1
var1: abc, var2: def, m_bool1: 0
### Error, undefined reference
The warning when you forget to instanciate a template, or in this example,
uncommented one:
//template void TestClass::templateFunction<int, int>(int, int);
template void TestClass::templateFunction<char const*, char const*>(char const*, char const*);
Output:
[100%] Linking CXX executable example
CMakeFiles/folder.dir/main.cpp.o: In function `main':
folder/main.cpp:7: undefined reference to `void TestClass::templateFunction<int, int>(int, int)'
folder/main.cpp:8: undefined reference to `void TestClass::templateFunction<int, int>(int, int)'
collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status
If you would use the template with two `doubles` you would have to add this at
the end of the file `TestClass1.cpp`:
template void TestClass::templateFunction<double, double>(double, double);
### In the header file
If the template function for `TestClass1` was in the header file, it would look
like this:
`TestClass1.h`:
#ifndef TESTCLASS1_H
#define TESTCLASS1_H
#include <iostream>
class TestClass {
private:
bool m_bool1 { false };
public:
TestClass(bool bool1) : m_bool1(bool1) {}
// template declaration and definiton
template <typename T1, typename T2>
void templateFunction (T1 var1, T2 var2) {
std::cout << "var1: " << var1 << ", ";
std::cout << "var2: " << var2 << ", ";
std::cout << "m_bool1: " << m_bool1 << "\n";
}
};
#endif //TESTCLASS1_H
You would not need the `TestClass1.cpp` file.
[1]: http://web.archive.org/web/20190621081506/https://isocpp.org/wiki/faq/templates#templates-defn-vs-decl
[2]: http://web.archive.org/web/20190621081506/https://isocpp.org/wiki/faq/templates#separate-template-fn-defn-from-decl
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