C++11 extern templates: where do we actually need them?

Question

In C++03 we have template explicit instantiation definitions (template class Foo<int>) which force instantiation of a template class.

In C++11 we've got template explicit instantiation declarations (extern template class Foo<int>) which should prevent implicit instantiations of a template class. (Class template instantiation)

I'm trying to simulate the situation where I actually needed the explicit instantiation declaration in order to reduce compilation time. But I can't. Looks like everything works without this feature (or doesn't work with it).

Here is an example:

//Foo.h
#pragma once
template<class T>
class Foo
{
    T inst;
public:
    Foo(T i);
    T& get() const;
};


//Foo.cpp
#include "stdafx.h"
#include "Foo.h"

template<class T>
Foo<T>::Foo(T inst) : inst(inst) { }

template<class T>
T& Foo<T>::get() const { return inst; }

template class Foo<int>; //explicit instantiation definition


//test1.h
#pragma once
#include "Foo.h"

//This line does not work
//extern template class Foo<int>; //explicit instantiation declaration.

void baz();


//test1.cpp
#include "stdafx.h"
#include "test1.h"

void baz()
{
    Foo<int> foo(10);
    int i = foo.get();
}

The result does not depend on whether I comment (extern template class Foo<int>;) line or not.

Here is symbols of both *.obj files:

dumpbin /SYMBOLS test1.obj

011 00000000 UNDEF notype () External | ??0?$Foo@H@@QAE@H@Z (public: __thiscall Foo::Foo(int))'

012 00000000 UNDEF notype () External | ?get@?$Foo@H@@QBEHXZ (public: int __thiscall Foo::get(void)const )

013 00000000 SECT4 notype () External | ?baz@@YAXXZ (void __cdecl baz(void))

...

dumpbin /SYMBOLS Foo.obj

017 00000000 SECT4 notype () External | ??0?$Foo@H@@QAE@H@Z (public: __thiscall Foo::Foo(int))

018 00000000 SECT6 notype () External | ?get@?$Foo@H@@QBEHXZ (public: int __thiscall Foo::get(void)const )

Pay attention what Foo<int>::Foo<int>(int) and int Foo<int>::get(void)const marked as UNDEF in test1.obj which means that they must be resolved elsewhere (i.e. Foo was compiled only ONCE).

ATTEMP #2:

If I define full template in Foo.h file (without explicit instantiation definition) then extern template doesn't help - template compiles twice (in both test1.cpp and test2.cpp).

Example:

//test1.h
#pragma once
#include "Foo.h"
void baz();


//test1.cpp
#include "stdafx.h"
#include "test1.h"
void baz()
{
    Foo<int> foo(10); //implicit instantiation of Foo<int>
    int i = foo.get();
}


//test2.h
#pragma once
#include "Foo.h"
extern template class Foo<int>;
void bar();


//test2.cpp
#include "stdafx.h"
#include "test2.h"
void bar()
{
    Foo<int> foo(10); //should refer to Foo<int> from test1.obj but IT IS NOT
    int i = foo.get();
}

Here are symbol dumps:

dumpbin /SYMBOLS test2.obj

01D 00000000 SECT4 notype () External | ??0?$Foo@H@@QAE@H@Z (public: __thiscall Foo::Foo(int))

01E 00000000 SECT8 notype () External | ?get@?$Foo@H@@QBEHXZ (public: int __thiscall Foo::get(void)const )

01F 00000000 SECT6 notype () External | ?bar@@YAXXZ (void __cdecl bar(void))

dumpbin /SYMBOLS test1.obj

01D 00000000 SECT6 notype () External | ?baz@@YAXXZ (void __cdecl baz(void))

01E 00000000 SECT4 notype () External | ??0?$Foo@H@@QAE@H@Z (public: __thiscall Foo::Foo(int))

01F 00000000 SECT8 notype () External | ?get@?$Foo@H@@QBEHXZ (public: int __thiscall Foo::get(void)const )

In both *.obj files Foo presents.

So my question is in what may be the usefulness of the explicit instantiation declarations? Or maybe I miss something in my tests?

I use VS2013 compiler.

Dmitry Katkevich Dmitry Katkevich · Accepted Answer · 2016-11-26T14:22:50

Here is a good explanation why the ATTEMP#2 does not work as I want: Is there a bug with extern template in Visual C++?

In short when you define and implement the template in header file the compiler may inline it. And then it does the explicit instantiation definition doesn't work by standart (14.7.2/10 "Explicit instantiation").

So we need to force the compiler to NOT inline the template. For example by implementing it just after the declaration.

template<class T>
class Foo {
   ...
   T get() const;
};

template<class T>
T Foo<T>::get() const
{ ... }

C++11 extern templates: where do we actually need them?

ATTEMP #2:

1 Answers