Re: [Boost-users] [Random] Passing an arbitrary uniform random number generator to a function

27 Apr 2010

      Steven Watanabe wrote:
...
A virtual function can't be a template.
... exactly my problem ... :-)
...
You might be able to use something like this:
template<class ResultType>
class runtime_generator {
public:
   ResultType min() const { return min_; }
   ResultType max() const { return max_; }
   ResultType operator()() { return impl(); }
private:
   ResultType min_, max_;
   boost::function impl;
};
I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand your suggestion. :-(

It's not clear to me how Boost's uniform random number generators
(URNGs) are meant to be passed around.  I'm used to working with the GNU
Scientific Library where a URNG is simply a pointer that can be passed
around easily,

    void foo(gsl_rng *r)
    {
        // generate some numbers with r ...
    }

... where of course the particular URNG algorithm may vary.

By contrast it's not clear to me how, using Boost's random library, to
write code which uses a URNG without specifying its exact type -- unless
I use templates.

Can you advise?

Sorry for my lack of understanding of your suggestion.

Thanks & best wishes,

    -- Joe

Re: [Boost-users] [Random] Passing an arbitrary uniform random number generator to a function

Joseph Wakeling