C++ std::vector Functions Returning Large Vectors
Example
C++11
In C++11, compilers are required to implicitly move from a local variable that is being returned. Moreover, most compilers can perform copy elision in many cases and elide the move altogether. As a result of this, returning large objects that can be moved cheaply no longer requires special handling:
#include <vector>
#include <iostream>
// If the compiler is unable to perform named return value optimization (NRVO)
// and elide the move altogether, it is required to move from v into the return value.
std::vector<int> fillVector(int a, int b) {
std::vector<int> v;
v.reserve(b-a+1);
for (int i = a; i <= b; i++) {
v.push_back(i);
}
return v; // implicit move
}
int main() { // declare and fill vector
std::vector<int> vec = fillVector(1, 10);
// print vector
for (auto value : vec)
std::cout << value << " "; // this will print "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "
std::cout << std::endl;
return 0;
}
C++11
Before C++11, copy elision was already allowed and implemented by most compilers. However, due to the absence of move semantics, in legacy code or code that has to be compiled with older compiler versions which don't implement this optimization, you can find vectors being passed as output arguments to prevent the unneeded copy:
#include <vector>
#include <iostream>
// passing a std::vector by reference
void fillVectorFrom_By_Ref(int a, int b, std::vector<int> &v) {
assert(v.empty());
v.reserve(b-a+1);
for (int i = a; i <= b; i++) {
v.push_back(i);
}
}
int main() {// declare vector
std::vector<int> vec;
// fill vector
fillVectorFrom_By_Ref(1, 10, vec);
// print vector
for (std::vector<int>::const_iterator it = vec.begin(); it != vec.end(); ++it)
std::cout << *it << " "; // this will print "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "
std::cout << std::endl;
return 0;
}
