Thread: extern templates

  1. #1
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    extern templates

    Consider the following code:

    Class<int> p1, p2;

    I heard that when a compiler compiles this it instantiates TWO times Class<int> and let the linker remove all the duplicated instantantiations and that thats why extern templates are introduced.

    Is that true? Or does it just create one instance if it encounters two variables of the same templates type?

  2. #2
    Just a pushpin. bernt's Avatar
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    From what I understand, the "double instantiation" stuff only happens when you use the templates in separate .cpp files. More specifically, templates are compiled for each object file produced, since the compiler doesn't have any way of knowing if the template will appear in other object files when they get linked together. The linker does have this sort of information, however, and deals with the duplicates in a polite and quiet manner like you said.


    EDIT: Turns out there's another way of handling it (called the CFront model), take a look at the GCC docs for more info.
    Last edited by bernt; 11-18-2010 at 03:34 PM.
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