Question

Consider the following situation in C++:

template<int n>
class Base { ... };

class Derived3 : public Base<3> {
  // a complicated body, making use of n=3
};

class Derived7 : public Base<7> {
  // a completely different body, making use of n=7
};

Inside of the Derived3 member functions, I would like to explicitly use n=3, and inside Derived7, n=7, without hardcoding the numbers, i.e., still referring to something like a template argument n. The following options come to my mind:

1. Also templating the derived classes on n, and then using typedef. This way, the derived classes know n:

   template<int n>
   class DerivedTemplate3 : public Base<n> { ... };
   typedef DerivedTemplate3<3> Derived3;
   
   template<int n>
   class DerivedTemplate7 : public Base<n> { ... };
   typedef DerivedTemplate7<7> Derived7;
   

   The problem with this is that DerivedTemplateX makes sense for nothing but n=X, so this feels like abusing the template paradigm.

2. Using a static const member to store n in Base, and referring to that in the derived classes:

   template<int n>
   class Base {
   protected:
     static const int nn = n;
     ...
   };
   
   class Derived3 : public Base<3> {
     // refer to nn=3
   };
   
   class Derived7 : public Base<7> {
     // refer to nn=7
   };
   

   The problem here is that I seemingly can’t use the same identifier (nn vs. n). Also, I’m not sure whether this will allow me to use nn as a template argument for members of the derived classes.

So: how can this be implemented in a non-redundant, efficient way? Maybe using some kind of static const int as a member somewhere?

Answer 1

The standard practice is to use an uppercase letter for the template parameter, then a static const value in lowercase:

template<int N>
class Base {
protected:
  static const int n = N;
  ...
};

Then you use the lowercase static const value n everywhere – don’t use N anywhere else.

Also, I’m not sure whether this will allow me to use nn as a template argument for members of the derived classes.

It is a constant expression and so it can be used as a template argument.