Using function template specialization : overload template function « template « C++ Tutorial

1. C++ Tutorial
2. template
3. overload template function

#include <iostream>
using std::cout;
using std::endl;

template<class T> T larger(T a, T b);             // Function template prototyp
e
template<> long* larger<long*>(long* a, long* b); // Specialization

int main() {
  cout << "Larger of 1.5 and 2.5 is " << larger(1.5, 2.5) << endl;
  cout << "Larger of 3.5 and 4.5 is " << larger(3.5, 4.5) << endl;
 
  int a_int = 35;
  int b_int = 45;
  cout << larger(a_int, b_int)<< endl;

 
  long a_long = 9;
  long b_long = 8;
  cout << larger(a_long, b_long)<< endl;

  cout << *larger(&a_long,&b_long)<< endl;

return 0;
}

template <class T> T larger(T a, T b) {
  cout << "standard version " << endl;
  return a>b ? a : b;
}

template <> long* larger<long*>(long* a, long* b) {
  cout << "specialized version " << endl;
  return *a>*b ? a : b;
}

standard version
Larger of 1.5 and 2.5 is 2.5
standard version
Larger of 3.5 and 4.5 is 4.5
standard version
45
standard version
9
specialized version
9