Question

Abstract

I have a class that stores a optimization problem and runs a solver on that problem.
If the solver fails I want to consider a sub-problem and solve using the same solver (and class).

Introduction

An optimization problem is essencially a lot of (mathematical) functions. The problem functions are defined outside the class, but the sub-problem functions are defined inside the class, so they have different types (e.g. void (*) and void (MyClass::*).

At first I thought that I could cast the member function to the non-member pointer-to-function type, but I found out that I cannot. So I’m searching for some other way.

Example Code

An example code to simulate my issue:

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

typedef void (*ftype) (int, double);

// Suppose foo is from another file. Can't change the definition
void foo (int n, double x) {
  cout << "foo: " << n*x << endl;
}

class TheClass {
  private:
    double value;
    ftype m_function;
    void print (int n, double x) {
      m_function(size*n, value*x);
        }
  public:
    static int size;
    TheClass () : value(1.2), m_function(0) { size++; }
    void set_function (ftype p) { m_function = p; }
    void call_function() {
      if (m_function) m_function(size, value);
    }
    void call_ok_function() {
      TheClass ok_class;
      ok_class.set_function(foo);
      ok_class.call_function();
    }
    void call_nasty_function() {
      TheClass nasty_class;
//      nasty_class.set_function(print);
//      nasty_class.set_function(&TheClass::print);
      nasty_class.call_function();
    }
};
int TheClass::size = 0;

int main () {
  TheClass one_class;

  one_class.set_function(foo);
  one_class.call_function();
  one_class.call_ok_function();
  one_class.call_nasty_function();
}

As the example suggests, the member function can’t be static. Also, I can’t redefine the original problem function to receive an object.

Thanks for any help.

Edit

I forgot to mention. I tried changing to std::function, but my original function has more than 10 arguments (It is a Fortran subroutine).

Solution

I made the change to std::function and std::bind as suggested, but did not went for the redesign of a function with more 10 arguments. I decided to create an intermediate function. The following code illustrates what I did, but with fewer variables. Thanks to all.

#include <iostream>
#include <boost/tr1/functional.hpp>

using namespace std;

class TheClass;

typedef tr1::function<void(int *, double *, double *, double *)> ftype;

// Suppose foo is from another file. Can't change the definition
void foo (int n, int m, double *A, double *x, double *b) {
    // Performs matrix vector multiplication x = A*b, where
    // A is   m x n
}

void foo_wrapper (int DIM[], double *A, double *x, double *b) {
    foo(DIM[0], DIM[1], A, x, b);
}

class TheClass {
    private:
        ftype m_function;
        void my_function (int DIM[], double *A, double *x, double *b) {
            // Change something before performing MV mult.
            m_function(DIM, A, x, b);
        }
    public:
        void set_function (ftype p) { m_function = p; }
        void call_function() {
            int DIM[2] = {2,2};
            if (m_function) m_function(DIM, 0, 0, 0);
        }
        void call_nasty_function() {
            TheClass nasty_class;
            ftype f = tr1::bind(&TheClass::my_function, this, _1, _2, _3, _4);
            nasty_class.set_function(f);
            nasty_class.call_function();
        }
};

int main () {
    TheClass one_class;

    one_class.set_function(foo_wrapper);
    one_class.call_function();
    one_class.call_nasty_function();
}

PS. Creating a std::function with more than 10 variables seemed possible (compiled, but I didn’t test) with

#define BOOST_FUNCTION_NUM_ARGS 15
#include <boost/function/detail/maybe_include.hpp>
#undef BOOST_FUNCTION_NUM_ARGS

But creating a std::bind for more than 10 arguments does not seem as easy.

Answer 1

std::function, std::bind, and lambdas are what you are looking for. In short, function pointers are very bad things and should be burned in fire. In long, std::function can store any function object which can be called with the correct signature, and you can use std::bind or a lambda to generate a function object that calls your member function quickly and easily.

Edit: Then you will just have to roll your own std::function equivalent that supports more than 10 arguments.