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1282. A proposal to add std::split algorithm

Section: 26 [algorithms] Status: NAD Submitter: Igor Semenov Opened: 2009-12-07 Last modified: 2019-02-26

Priority: Not Prioritized

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Discussion:

1. Motivation and Scope

   Splitting strings into parts by some set of delimiters is an often task, but there is no simple and generalized solution in C++ Standard. Usually C++ developers use std::basic_stringstream<> to split string into parts, but there are several inconvenient restrictions:

   • we cannot explicitly assign the set of delimiters;
   • this approach is suitable only for strings, but not for other types of containers;
   • we have (possible) performance leak due to string instantiation.

2. Impact on the Standard

   This algorithm doesn't interfere with any of current standard algorithms.

3. Design Decisions

   This algorithm is implemented in terms of input/output iterators. Also, there is one additional wrapper for const CharType * specified delimiters.

4. Example implementation

   template< class It, class DelimIt, class OutIt >
   void split( It begin, It end, DelimIt d_begin, DelimIt d_end, OutIt out )
   {
      while ( begin != end )
      {
          It it = std::find_first_of( begin, end, d_begin, d_end );
          *out++ = std::make_pair( begin, it );
          begin = std::find_first_of( it, end, d_begin, d_end,
              std::not2( std::equal_to< typename It::value_type >() ) );
      }
   }
   
   template< class It, class CharType, class OutIt >
   void split( It begin, It end, const CharType * delim, OutIt out )
   {
      split( begin, end, delim, delim + std::strlen( delim ), out );
   }
   

5. Usage

   std::string ss( "word1 word2 word3" );
   std::vector< std::pair< std::string::const_iterator, std::string::const_iterator > > v;
   split( ss.begin(), ss.end(), " ", std::back_inserter( v ) );
   
   for ( int i = 0; i < v.size(); ++i )
   {
      std::cout << std::string( v[ i ].first, v[ i ].second ) << std::endl;
   }
   // word1
   // word2
   // word3
   

[ 2010-01-22 Moved to Tentatively NAD Future after 5 positive votes on c++std-lib. Rationale added below. ]

[LEWG Kona 2017]

Recommend NAD: Paper encouraged. Have papers for this; LEWG259.

Rationale:

The LWG is not considering completely new features for standardization at this time. We would like to revisit this good suggestion for a future TR and/or standard.

Proposed resolution:

Add to the synopsis in 26.1 [algorithms.general]:

template< class ForwardIterator1, class ForwardIterator2, class OutputIterator >
  void split( ForwardIterator1 first, ForwardIterator1 last,
              ForwardIterator2 delimiter_first, ForwardIterator2 delimiter_last,
              OutputIterator result );

template< class ForwardIterator1, class CharType, class OutputIterator >
  void split( ForwardIterator1 first, ForwardIterator1 last,
              const CharType * delimiters, OutputIterator result );

Add a new section [alg.split]:

template< class ForwardIterator1, class ForwardIterator2, class OutputIterator >
  void split( ForwardIterator1 first, ForwardIterator1 last,
              ForwardIterator2 delimiter_first, ForwardIterator2 delimiter_last,
              OutputIterator result );

1. Effects: splits the range [first, last) into parts, using any element of [delimiter_first, delimiter_last) as a delimiter. Results are pushed to output iterator in the form of std::pair<ForwardIterator1, ForwardIterator1>. Each of these pairs specifies a maximal subrange of [first, last) which does not contain a delimiter.

2. Returns: nothing.

3. Complexity: Exactly last - first assignments.

template< class ForwardIterator1, class CharType, class OutputIterator >
  void split( ForwardIterator1 first, ForwardIterator1 last,
              const CharType * delimiters, OutputIterator result );

1. Effects: split the range [first, last) into parts, using any element of delimiters (interpreted as zero-terminated string) as a delimiter. Results are pushed to output iterator in the form of std::pair<ForwardIterator1, ForwardIterator1>. Each of these pairs specifies a maximal subrange of [first, last) which does not contain a delimiter.

2. Returns: nothing.

3. Complexity: Exactly last - first assignments.