can you template a single variable?

[kyle11778]

i would like to have a non global, template variable to use for input in 'main' only

i have a struct for this but if there is a better way i would rather use it.

[Disch]

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking.

What are you trying to do?

EDIT:

FWIW, you can't template an individual variable -- and it doesn't make any sense to do that anyway.

[kyle11778]

never mind, i think i got confused on how the templates work. does the type always have to be hard coded or can it be user specified?

[Disch]

The compiler needs to know the type, so it has to be hardcoded.

For types that can change at runtime (user specified), there are options. boost::any is one.

[kyle11778]

boost::any?

[rocketboy9000]

an enum and a union inside a struct:

struct anytype {
    enum {typeint,typefloat,typecharp} type;
    union {
    int i;
    float f;
    char * s;
    } val;
}

[Disch]

rocketboy's suggestion will also work, but only for basic types (something like a string wouldn't work)

boost::any is part of the boost library - it's something you'd have to download and install.

see www.boost.org

I'm not all that familiar with boost, honestly.

[kyle11778]

For rocketboy's suggestion:

what is the enum used for?

[PiMaster]

It's to keep track of the variable type.