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1.4 Overview of This Manual

1.4.1 Assumptions

This manual is The Standard C++ Library User's Guide, an introduction to the Rogue Wave implementation of the Standard C++ Library. It assumes that you are familiar with the basic features of the C++ programming language. If you are new to C++, you may want to start with an introductory text, such as The C++ Programming Language by Bjarne Stroustrup (Addison-Wesley, 1997).

Everything in the Standard C++ Library is contained in the std namespace. You must specify a using declaration or explicitly scope any name from the library; for example, using std::vector; or std::vector<int> v;. This is assumed in the examples.

1.4.2 Conventions

This manual uses some distinctive terms and conventions. The Standard C++ Library consists mostly of class and function templates, so abbreviations for these templates are common. For example, in the iostreams part of the documentation, fstream stands for template <class charT, class traits> class basic_fstream. A slightly more succinct notation for a class template is also frequently used: basic_fstream <charT, traits>. File stream stands for the abstract notion of the file stream class template; badbit stands for the state flag ios_base::badbit.

The term algorithm indicates functions in the generic algorithms portion of the Standard C++ Library, so as to avoid confusion with member functions, argument functions, and user-defined functions.

An empty pair of parentheses () follows function names and algorithm names, so as to avoid emphasizing their arguments. An underline character _ is used as a separator in both class names and function names.

Special fonts set off class names, code samples, and special meanings, as shown in Table 2:.

Table 2 -- Typographic conventions

ConventionPurposeExample 
Courier
Code, examples, function names, file names, directory names, operating system commands
return result;
italic
Emphasis.
New terms.
Titles.
operating system family
special ending iterator
User's Guide
bold
Emphasis.
Commands from an interface.
Rogue Wave product names.
do this before that
the OK button
a Standard C++ Library file
bold italic
Class names.
priority_queue

1.4.3 Organization

This manual is organized into six parts:

1.4.4 Reading Suggestion

The first time you read this manual it may be hard to know where to start. The container definitions form the heart of the library, but you can't really appreciate them without understanding the algorithms that so greatly extend their functionality. On the other hand, you can't really understand the algorithms without some appreciation of the containers.

A good approach is to read Part II Fundamentals carefully. Next, skim the definitions of the containers in Part III Containers and the descriptions of the algorithms in Part IV Algorithms, then go back and read these parts in more detail. You can then proceed to the more specialized areas of the manual.



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