Set Intersection with Different Containers
Can set_intersection() be used with different types of containers?
Yes, std::ranges::set_intersection() can be used with different types of containers as long as they support forward iterators and the elements can be compared using the default comparator or a provided custom comparator.
The algorithm requires that the elements are sorted within each container, but the types of the containers themselves do not need to be the same.
Here's an example using a std::vector and a std::set:
#include <algorithm>
#include <vector>
#include <set>
#include <iostream>
int main() {
std::vector<int> A {1, 2, 3, 4};
std::set<int> B {3, 4, 5, 6};
std::vector<int> Results;
Results.resize(std::min(A.size(), B.size()));
std::ranges::set_intersection(A, B, Results.begin());
for (auto x : Results) {
std::cout << x << ", ";
}
}3, 4, 0, 0,In this example, A is a std::vector and B is a std::set. The result shows the intersection of the two sets. The trailing zeroes indicate unused elements in the result vector, which can be removed:
#include <algorithm>
#include <iostream>
#include <set>
#include <vector>
int main() {
std::vector<int> A{1, 2, 3, 4};
std::set<int> B{3, 4, 5, 6};
std::vector<int> Results;
Results.resize(std::min(A.size(), B.size()));
auto [AEnd, BEnd, IntersectionEnd] =
std::ranges::set_intersection(
A, B, Results.begin());
Results.erase(IntersectionEnd, Results.end());
for (auto x : Results) {
std::cout << x << ", ";
}
}3, 4,Using Different Container Types
When using different container types, ensure they are sorted and compatible with the same comparator. Here's an example using a std::list and a std::vector:
#include <algorithm>
#include <iostream>
#include <list>
#include <vector>
int main() {
std::list<int> A{1, 2, 3, 4};
std::vector<int> B{3, 4, 5, 6};
std::vector<int> Results;
Results.resize(std::min(A.size(), B.size()));
std::ranges::set_intersection(
A, B, Results.begin());
for (auto x : Results) {
std::cout << x << ", ";
}
}3, 4, 0, 0,By using different containers like std::list and std::vector, the intersection algorithm works as long as the inputs are sorted and compatible with the required iterator types.
Always ensure that your input containers are forward iterable and sorted to use std::ranges::set_intersection() effectively.
Set Algorithms
An introduction to set algorithms, and how to implement them using the C++ standard library