How to Use the Set STL Container Class

Container classes are a tool used in C and C++ programming to use as a repository of any kind of data. The STL, or standard template library, provides a series of generic container classes for use in programming. These classes are designed to standardize the classes used and the coding program for maximum efficiency.

Instructions

1. Review the list of classes available in the STL. This list includes vector, list, deque, set, multiset, map, multimap, hash_set, hash_multiset, hash_map and hash_multimap. The use of the classes removes the need to manage the memory allocation in the coding itself.

2. Select the appropriate container by first deciding the type of operation you want to perform on the data in the container. The vector container is idea for an array type usage. Random access to the data, with new items or data being added or deleted at either the stat or end of the program can be achieved using deque.

3. Create an object with a starting capacity of 20 and all the values will be set to 5. Type vector , nums (20,5); You have now created a vector object with a specific shape and size using the STL class vector.

4. Use the STL class method at() to specify the argument for a specific integer or number and provide the response in a certain location. This is very similar to a technique called array indexing.

Tips & Warnings

• The STL elements are set as headers and provide a clearly defined structure for the most commonly used actions within C or C++. Take the time to become familiar with these classes and explore the other algorithms and functions available.