PRB: C2664 Instantiating STL List with Sequence [first, last)

ID: Q168404

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions, version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

Instantiating an STL list container with a sequence [first, last), where first and last are iterators, causes the compiler error C2664:

'function': cannot convert parameter number from 'type1' to 'type2'

CAUSE

Using the list(const_iterator first, const_iterator last, const A& a1= A()) constructor causes the compiler error C2664. The constructor for list takes a list<T>::const_iterator instead of a generic iterator for the first two parameters.

RESOLUTION

Workaround 1

Use the default constructor. Insert elements in the list using the push_back member function.

Workaround 2

Use the list(size_type, const T& v = T(), const A& a1 = A()) constructor. Insert elements in the list using the copy algorithm.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Visual C++, version 6.0.

MORE INFORMATION

The following sample demonstrates the problem:


   //test1.cpp
   //Compiler options needed: /GX

   #include <list>

   int main()
   {
      int INTARRAY[4] = {1, 2, 3, 4} ;
      std::list<int> INTLIST(INTARRAY, INTARRAY + 4) ; //C2664 here
   }

The exact error message for the above sample is:


   test1.cpp(9) : error C2664: 'std::list<int,class
   std::allocator<int>>::list<int,class std::allocator<int>>(unsigned
   int,const int &,const class std::allocator<int> &)' : cannot convert
   parameter 1 from 'int [4]' to 'unsigned int'

The following sample demonstrates Workaround 1:


   //test2.cpp
   //Compiler options needed: /GX

   #include <list>

   int main()
   {
      int INTARRAY[4] = {1, 2, 3, 4} ;
      std::list<int> INTLIST ;
      for(int i = 0; i < 4; i++)
          INTLIST.push_back(INTARRAY[i]) ;
      return 0 ;
   }

The following sample demonstrates Workaround 2:


   //test3.cpp
   //Compiler options needed: /GX

   #include <list>
   #include <algorithm>

   int main()
   {
      int INTARRAY[4] = {1, 2, 3, 4} ;
      std::list<int> INTLIST(4) ;
      std::copy(INTARRAY, INTARRAY + 4, INTLIST.begin()) ;
      return 0 ;
   }

Additional query words: list copy push_back

Keywords : kbCompiler kbCPPonly kbVC kbVC500bug kbVC600fix STLIss
Version : 5.0
Platform : NT WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb