TITLE: template specialization


PROBLEM: kbriggs@pd.uwa.edu.au

Suppose I have something like...

template<class T> class foo {
  T x;
public:
  foo& operator=(const T& t){....}
  foo& operator=(const double& d){....}
  ....
};

Now sometimes I want to use a foo<double>, but then I get a compilation
error due to the double definition of operator=.   But if T is not double,
I still want foo::operator=(double).    How do I make this work?


RESPONSE: pete@borland.com (Pete Becker), 22 Nov 95

You can specialize the template for foo<double>. After the template 
definition, add in a special version for double:

class foo<double> {
  double x;
public:
  foo& operator=(const double& d){....}
  ....
};

The compiler will use this definition instead of the more general template 
whenever you create a foo<double>.