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From: markr@and.cs.liv.ac.uk
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Templates (again)
Message-ID: <1991Jun16.173916.143@and.cs.liv.ac.uk>
Date: 16 Jun 91 17:39:16 GMT
Organization: Computer Science, Liverpool University
Lines: 25


I started a C++ project that needed many generic classes (sets, lists etc.) and
decided to use templates.  Until we get a compiler that supports them I am
using the cpp from ti.

I notice recently there has been a lot of talk of templates on this group.  I
don't know much about the situation, and would like to ask:-

*	are templates part of a standard for C++, or just a proposal?

*	do any compilers support them yet?

*	when will the AT&T compiler support them?  2.3, 3.0, 16.8 or what?

*	when they are supported, how efficient will they be in terms of
	avoiding code duplication?  Will it be necessary to define a general
	base class and use templates for type-specific derived classes?
	(eg. template <class T> class Set<T> : public GenericSet {...})

*	how does use of templates with the ti macro package differ from the
	standard/proposal for the language?

--
Mark Rivers
CompSci Liverpool Uni UK