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I know the language specification forbids partial specialization of function template.
I would like to know the rationale why it forbids it? Are they not useful?
template<typename T, typename U> void f() {} //allowed! template<> void f<int, char>() {} //allowed! template<typename T> void f<char, T>() {} //not allowed! template<typename T> void f<T, int>() {} //not allowed! 
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The act of creating a new definition of a function, class, or member of a class from a template declaration and one or more template arguments is called template instantiation. The definition created from a template instantiation is called a specialization.
Template in C++is a feature. We write code once and use it for any data type including user defined data types. For example, sort() can be written and used to sort any data type items. A class stack can be created that can be used as a stack of any data type.
You may overload a function template either by a non-template function or by another function template. The function call f(1, 2) could match the argument types of both the template function and the non-template function.
Function templates. Function templates are special functions that can operate with generic types. This allows us to create a function template whose functionality can be adapted to more than one type or class without repeating the entire code for each type. In C++ this can be achieved using template parameters.
AFAIK that's changed in C++0x.
I guess it was just an oversight (considering that you can always get the partial specialization effect with more verbose code, by placing the function as a static member of a class).
You might look up the relevant DR (Defect Report), if there is one.
EDIT: checking this, I find that others have also believed that, but no-one is able to find any such support in the draft standard. This SO thread seems to indicate that partial specialization of function templates is not supported in C++0x.
EDIT 2: just an example of what I meant by "placing the function as a static member of a class":
#include <iostream> using namespace std; // template<typename T, typename U> void f() {} //allowed! // template<> void f<int, char>() {} //allowed! // template<typename T> void f<char, T>() {} //not allowed! // template<typename T> void f<T, int>() {} //not allowed! void say( char const s[] ) { std::cout << s << std::endl; } namespace detail { template< class T, class U > struct F { static void impl() { say( "1. primary template" ); } }; template<> struct F<int, char> { static void impl() { say( "2. <int, char> explicit specialization" ); } }; template< class T > struct F< char, T > { static void impl() { say( "3. <char, T> partial specialization" ); } }; template< class T > struct F< T, int > { static void impl() { say( "4. <T, int> partial specialization" ); } }; } // namespace detail template< class T, class U > void f() { detail::F<T, U>::impl(); } int main() { f<char const*, double>(); // 1 f<int, char>(); // 2 f<char, double>(); // 3 f<double, int>(); // 4 } If you love us? You can donate to us via Paypal or buy me a coffee so we can maintain and grow! Thank you!
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