Enumerating over a fold expression

Question

I have some auxiliary code that performs vector reshuffling using compile-time indices. It is of upmost importance that the generated code is as efficient as possible. I am relying on parameter packs with fold expressions, and I was wondering what is the best practice in writing such code.

A practical example: let there be a function insert which inserts the elements of container y into container x at positions Ii where the positions are compile-time constants. The basic signature of this function would be something like this:

template<size_t... Ii, size_t Xsize, size_t Size>
constexpr container<Xsize> insert(container<Xsize> x, container<Ysize> y);

And its invoked like this: insert<0, 2>(x, y). I see two obvious possibilities of implementing this.

First: using an auxiliary index variable to iterate over y:

template<size_t... Ii, size_t Xsize, size_t Size>
constexpr container<Xsize> insert(container<Xsize> x, container<Ysize> y) {
  int i = 0;
  ((x[Ii] = y[i++]), ...);
  return x;
}

My problem with this solution is the variable i: I have to rely on the compiler to optimise it out.

The second solution avoids any runtime dependencies, but it requires an auxiliary function, making the entire implementation rather ugly:

template<size_t... Ii, size_t... Yi, size_t Xsize, size_t Size>
constexpr container<Xsize> insert_(container<Xsize> x, container<Ysize> y, std::index_sequence<Yi...>) {
  ((x[Ii] = y[Yi]), ...);
  return x;
}

template<size_t... Ii, size_t Xsize, size_t Size>
constexpr container<Xsize> insert(container<Xsize> x, container<Ysize> y) {
  return insert_<Ii...>(x,y, std::make_index_sequence<sizeof...(Ii)> {});
}

Is there a way to get this done avoiding both runtime variables and an auxiliary function?

Answer 1

It is of upmost importance that the generated code is as efficient as possible.

Just a side note concerning your example: You should make sure that the performance does not suffer from passing function arguments by value. Same for the return value.

Is there a way to get this done avoiding both runtime variables and an auxiliary function?

You can implement reusable helper functions. As an example, consider the following code.

static_assert(__cplusplus >= 201703L, "example written for C++17 or later");

#include <cstddef>

#include <array>
#include <type_traits>
#include <utility>

namespace detail {

template<std::size_t... inds, class F>
constexpr void gen_inds_impl(std::index_sequence<inds...>, F&& f) {
  f(std::integral_constant<std::size_t, inds>{}...);
}

}// detail

template<std::size_t N, class F>
constexpr void gen_inds(F&& f) {
  detail::gen_inds_impl(std::make_index_sequence<N>{}, std::forward<F>(f));
}

// the code above is reusable

template<
  std::size_t... inds_out,
  class T, std::size_t size_out, std::size_t size_in
>
constexpr std::array<T, size_out> insert1(
  std::array<T, size_out> out,
  std::array<T, size_in> in
) {
  static_assert((... && (inds_out < size_out)));
  static_assert(sizeof...(inds_out) <= size_in);

  gen_inds<sizeof...(inds_out)>([&] (auto... inds_in) {
    ((out[inds_out] = in[inds_in]), ...);
  });

  return out;
}

A similar alternative is the static_for approach:

static_assert(__cplusplus >= 201703L, "example written for C++17 or later");

#include <cstddef>

#include <array>
#include <type_traits>
#include <utility>

namespace detail {

template<std::size_t... inds, class F>
constexpr void static_for_impl(std::index_sequence<inds...>, F&& f) {
  (f(std::integral_constant<std::size_t, inds>{}), ...);
}

}// detail

template<std::size_t N, class F>
constexpr void static_for(F&& f) {
  detail::static_for_impl(std::make_index_sequence<N>{}, std::forward<F>(f));
}

// the code above is reusable

template<
  std::size_t... inds_out,
  class T, std::size_t size_out, std::size_t size_in
>
constexpr std::array<T, size_out> insert2(
  std::array<T, size_out> out,
  std::array<T, size_in> in
) {
  static_assert(sizeof...(inds_out) >= 1);

  static_assert((... && (inds_out < size_out)));
  static_assert(sizeof...(inds_out) <= size_in);

  constexpr std::size_t N = sizeof...(inds_out);

  static_for<N>([&] (auto n) {
    // note the constexpr
    constexpr std::size_t ind_out = std::array{inds_out...}[n];
    constexpr std::size_t ind_in = n;
    out[ind_out] = in[ind_in];
  });

  return out;
}