Q168404: PRB: C2664 Instantiating STL List with Sequence [first, last)

Article: Q168404
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): 5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbCompiler kbCPPonly kbVC kbVC500bug kbVC600fix
Last Modified: 17-JUL-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition, version 5.0 
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition, version 5.0 
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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 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbVC500 kbVC32bitSearch kbVC500Search
Version           : 5.0
Issue type        : kbprb
Solution Type     : kbfix

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