std::list::operator=(3)

💖 NAME 💖

std::list::operator= — literally std::list::operator=, bestie. This is the assignment-operator page from the C++ Standard Libary manual, and we are gonna get you comfy with it ✨

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

Okay so the signature lineup is giving overload energy:

list& operator=( const list& other );                       (1)
list& operator=( list&& other );                            (2) (since C++11)
                                                            (until C++17)
list& operator=( list&& other ) noexcept(/* see below */);    (2) (since C++17)
list& operator=( std::initializer_list<value_type> ilist );  (3) (since C++11)

Big picture: it replaces the contents of the container. That’s the whole assignment vibe 💅

1. Copy assignment operator. Replaces the contents with a copy of the contents of other.

If std::allocator_traits<allocator_type>::propagate_on_container_copy_assignment::value is true, then the allocator of *this is replaced by a copy of other’s allocator. If the allocator of *this after assignment would compare unequal to its old value, the old allocator is used to deallocate the memory, then the new allocator is used to allocate it before copying the elements. (since C++11)

Otherwise, the memory owned by *this may be reused when possible. In any case, the elements originally belonging to *this may be either destroyed or replaced by element-wise copy-assignment.

2. Move assignment operator. Replaces the contents with those of other using move semantics — i.e. the data in other is moved from other into this container. other is in a valid but unspecified state afterwards, no cap.

If std::allocator_traits<allocator_type>::propagate_on_container_move_assignment::value is true, the allocator of *this is replaced by a copy of that of other.

If it is false and the allocators of *this and other do not compare equal, *this cannot take ownership of the memory owned by other and must move-assign each element individually, allocating additional memory using its own allocator as needed.

In any case, all elements originally belonging to *this are either destroyed or replaced by element-wise move-assignment.

3. Replaces the contents with those identified by initializer list ilist.

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🎀 PARAMETERS 🎀

• other — another container to use as data source
• ilist — initializer list to use as data source

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🦋 RETURN VALUE 🦋

*this. That’s it. That’s the return value. Periodt 💅

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🌸 COMPLEXITY 🌸

1. Linear in the size of *this and other.
2. Linear in the size of *this unless the allocators do not compare equal and do not propagate, in which case linear in the size of *this and other.
3. Linear in the size of *this and ilist.

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🔥 EXCEPTIONS 🔥

• until C++17: 1-3) May throw implementation-defined exceptions.
• since C++17: 1,3) May throw implementation-defined exceptions.
• 2) since C++17 — noexcept specification: noexcept(std::allocator_traits<Allocator>::is_always_equal::value)

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👑 NOTES 👑

After container move assignment (overload (2)), unless element-wise move assignment is forced by incompatible allocators, references, pointers, and iterators (other than the end iterator) to other remain valid, but refer to elements that are now in *this.

The current standard makes this guarantee via the blanket statement in [container.reqmts]/67, and a more direct guarantee is under consideration via LWG issue 2321. iykyk 🧚

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🌈 EXAMPLE 🌈

The following code uses operator= to assign one std::list to another:

// Run this code

#include <initializer_list>
#include <iostream>
#include <iterator>
#include <list>

void print(auto const comment, auto const& container)
{
    auto size = std::size(container);
    std::cout << comment << "{ ";
    for (auto const& element : container)
        std::cout << element << (--size ? ", " : " ");
    std::cout << "}\n";
}

int main()
{
    std::list<int> x{1, 2, 3}, y, z;
    const auto w = {4, 5, 6, 7};

    std::cout << "Initially:\n";
    print("x = ", x);
    print("y = ", y);
    print("z = ", z);

    std::cout << "Copy assignment copies data from x to y:\n";
    y = x;
    print("x = ", x);
    print("y = ", y);

    std::cout << "Move assignment moves data from x to z, modifying both x and z:\n";
    z = std::move(x);
    print("x = ", x);
    print("z = ", z);

    std::cout << "Assignment of initializer_list w to z:\n";
    z = w;
    print("w = ", w);
    print("z = ", z);
}

Output:

Initially:
x = { 1, 2, 3 }
y = { }
z = { }
Copy assignment copies data from x to y:
x = { 1, 2, 3 }
y = { 1, 2, 3 }
Move assignment moves data from x to z, modifying both x and z:
x = { }
z = { 1, 2, 3 }
Assignment of initializer_list w to z:
w = { 4, 5, 6, 7 }
z = { 4, 5, 6, 7 }

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🫶 SEE ALSO 🫶

• constructor — constructs the list (public member function)
• assign — assigns values to the container (public member function)

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⭐ CATEGORY ⭐

• * conditionally noexcept

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Okay that’s the whole page, bestie 🫶 — source/version and date: http://cppreference.com, 2024.06.10, for std::list::operator=(3). Slay 💖✨