partial_sort_copy (STL Sample)

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

Required Header:
<algorithm>

template<class InputIterator, RandomAccessIterator> inline
     RandomAccessIterator partial_sort(InputIterator first1,
     InputIterator last1,
     RandomAccessIterator first2,
     RandomAccessIterator last2)

Note: The class/parameter names in the prototype do not match the version in the header file. Some have been modified to improve readability.

Description:
The partial_sort_copy algorithm sorts the smallest N elements, where N = min((last1 - first1), (last2 - first2)), of the sequence [first1, last1) and copies the results to the sequence [first2, first2 + N]. The non-predicate version of partial_sort_copy uses operator< for comparisons.

Sample Code:

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Compile options needed: /GX
//
// partial_sort_copy.cpp : Illustrates how to use the partial_sort_copy
//                         function.
//
// Functions:
//
//    partial_sort_copy : Sort the smallest N elements in a sequence
//                        and copy the resulting sequence
//                        to another sequence.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

// disable warning C4786: symbol greater than 255 character,
// okay to ignore
#pragma warning(disable: 4786)

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

using namespace std ;

void main()
{
    const int VECTOR_SIZE = 8 ;

    // Define a template class vector of int
    typedef vector<int> IntVector ;

    //Define an iterator for template class vector of strings
    typedef IntVector::iterator IntVectorIt ;

    IntVector Numbers(VECTOR_SIZE) ;
    IntVector Result(4) ;

    IntVectorIt start, end, it ;

    // Initialize vector Numbers
    Numbers[0] = 4 ;
    Numbers[1] = 10;
    Numbers[2] = 70 ;
    Numbers[3] = 30 ;
    Numbers[4] = 10;
    Numbers[5] = 69 ;
    Numbers[6] = 96 ;
    Numbers[7] = 7;

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

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

    cout << "Before calling partial_sort_copy\n" << endl ;

    // print content of Numbers
    cout << "Numbers { " ;
    for(it = start; it != end; it++)
        cout << *it << " " ;
    cout << " }\n" << endl ;

    // sort the smallest 4 elements in the Numbers
    // and copy the results in Result
    partial_sort_copy(start, end, Result.begin(), Result.end()) ;

    cout << "After calling partial_sort_copy\n" << endl ;

    cout << "Numbers { " ;
    for(it = start; it != end; it++)
        cout << *it << " " ;
    cout << " }\n" << endl ;

    cout << "Result { " ;
    for(it = Result.begin(); it != Result.end(); it++)
        cout << *it << " " ;
    cout << " }\n" << endl ;
}

 

Program Output is:

Before calling partial_sort_copy

Numbers { 4 10 70 30 10 69 96 7  }

After calling partial_sort_copy

Numbers { 4 10 70 30 10 69 96 7  }

Result { 4 7 10 10  }