STL Sample for the next_permutation Function

• The Standard C++ Library included with: - Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition, version 4.2

SUMMARY

The sample code below illustrates how to use the next_permutation STL function in Visual C++.

MORE INFORMATION

Required Header

   <algorithm>

Prototype

   template<class BidirectionalIterator> inline
   bool next_permutation(BidirectionalIterator first,
                         BidirectionalIterator last)

Description

The next_permutation algorithm changes the order of the elements in the range [first, last) to the next lexicographic permutation and returns true. If there is no next_permutation, it arranges the sequence to be the first permutation and returns false.

IMPORTANT: The next_permutation algorithm assumes the sequence is sorted in ascending order using operator<.

The non-predicate version uses the operator< to order the permutations.

Sample Code

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Compile options needed: /GX
//
// next_permutation.cpp : Illustrates how to use the
//                        next_permutation function.
//
// Functions:
//
//    next_permutation : Change the order of the sequence to the
//                       next lexicograhic permutation.
//
// Written by Kalindi Sanghrajka
// of Microsoft Product Support Services,
// Software Core Developer Support.
// Copyright (c) 1996 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

// disable warning C4786: symbol greater than 255 character,
// okay to ignore

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
#include <string>
#include <algorithm>
#include <functional>

void main()

    const int VECTOR_SIZE = 3 ;

    // Define a template class vector of strings
    typedef vector<string, allocator<string> > StrVector ;

    //Define an iterator for template class vector of strings
    typedef StrVector::iterator StrVectorIt ;

    //Define an ostream iterator for strings
    typedef ostream_iterator<string,char,char_traits<char> > StrOstreamIt;

    StrVector Pattern(VECTOR_SIZE) ;

    StrVectorIt start, end, it ;

    StrOstreamIt outIt(cout, " ") ;

    start = Pattern.begin() ;   // location of first
                                      // element of Pattern

    end = Pattern.end() ;       // one past the location last
                                       // element of Pattern

    //Initialize vector Pattern
    Pattern[0] = "A" ;
    Pattern[1] = "B" ;
    Pattern[2] = "C" ;

    // print content of Pattern
    cout << "Before calling next_permutation...\n" << "Pattern: " ;
    for(it = start; it != end; it++)
        cout << *it << " " ;
    cout << "\n\n" ;

    // Generate all possible permutations

    cout << "After calling next_permutation...." << endl ;
    while ( next_permutation(start, end) )
    {
        copy(start, end, outIt) ;
        cout << endl ;
    }

Program Output is:

Before calling next_permutation: Pattern: A B C

After calling next_permutation: A C B B A C B C A C A B C B A

REFERENCES

Visual C++ Books On Line: Visual C++ Books:C/C++:Standard C++ Library Reference.