template and polymorphism

Hi,
I wonder if I can use template with polymorphism. The problem is that it seems impossible to define a pointer to an uninstantiated template. For instance, here is a toy example,

Code:

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#include <iostream>
#include <cstring>
using namespace std;
template<class T>
class A {
 public:
 T a;
 virtual void f(){ cout<< "A"<< endl;}
};

template<class T>
class B: public A<T> {
 public:
 void f(){ cout<< "B"<< endl;}
};

template<class T>
class C: public A<T> {
 public:
 void f(){ cout<< "C"<< endl;}
};

int main(int argc, char **argv){
A * ptr; // error: missing template arguments before ‘*’ token
if (strcmp(const_cast<const char*>(argv[1]), "B") == 0){
 if  (strcmp(const_cast<const char*>(argv[2]), "int") == 0) ptr = new B<int>;
 else  if(strcmp(const_cast<const char*>(argv[2]), "float") == 0) ptr = new B<float>;
} else if(strcmp(const_cast<const char*>(argv[1]), "C") == 0){
 if  (strcmp(const_cast<const char*>(argv[2]), "int") == 0) ptr = new C<int>;
 else  if (strcmp(const_cast<const char*>(argv[2]), "float") == 0) ptr = new C<float>;
}
ptr->f();
return 0;
}

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Is there any possible way to use template and polymorphism?
THanks and regards!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lehe

I wonder if I can use template with polymorphism.

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Yes, you can.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lehe

The problem is that it seems impossible to define a pointer to an uninstantiated template.

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Yes, but actually I think that the problem is deeper than that: a B<T> is-a A<T>, so a B<int> is-a A<int>, but a B<float> has nothing to do with an A<int>, and likewise for a C<float>.

Even if you inherit, the T's need to be the same right? So could you do something like:

Code:

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A<int>* ptr;

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(obviously I didn't try).
But I don't know of a way to be able to have one thing that could be either an A<int> or an A<float> or whatever, if that's what you're asking. (Someone will probably come along with the way where possible. I don't expect it to be easy.)

If use

Code:

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A<int>* ptr;

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g++ will complain at later code line:

Quote:

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error: cannot convert ‘B<float>*’ to ‘A<int>*’ in assignment

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Similarly for

Code:

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A<float>* ptr;

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Really appreciate if someone can come up with a solution.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lehe

Really appreciate if someone can come up with a solution.

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What is the problem that you are trying to solve?

I want to see if it is possible to achieve something like defining a single "pointer" pointing to a "base class" without type argument specified i.e. uninstantiated template base class, so code can be shared not only within polymorphism of each instantiation but also across various type argument. Just like the way we use virtual function.

A new question is that if the type argument can be determined dynamically? something like this

Code:

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A <argv[1]> a;

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I know it is wrong the type keyword is not string. How to do it if possible?

Thanks!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lehe

I want to see if it is possible to achieve something like defining a single "pointer" pointing to a "base class" without type argument specified i.e. uninstantiated template base class, so code can be shared not only within polymorphism of each instantiation but also across various type argument.

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The template argument must be specified in the syntax of the pointer declaration.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lehe

A new question is that if the type argument can be determined dynamically?

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Dynamically at run time, no. The template argument must be known at compile time.

Just define a non-template base class:

Code:

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struct A
{
        virtual void f( void )
        {
                cout << "A::f( )" << endl;
        }
};

template < typename Type >
struct B : A
{
        virtual void f( void )
        {
                cout << "B::f( )" << endl;
        }
};

int main( void )
{
        B< float >
                bf;
        B< int >
                bi;               
        A*
                a = 0;
        a = &bf;
        a->f( );
        a = &bi;
        a->f( );
}

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