using only certain functions from a library?

Question

i would like to use only certain functions from math.h (WITHOUT including the entire library)

for example, i need to use "sqrt" and "exp", but i have variables named "y1" (and possibly others) which conflict with definitions in math.h

how can i use only certain functions from a library like that?

i tried

#define sqrt cmath::sqrt

but that did not work, i have seen something like that before with

#define cout std::cout

i think, so i thought it might work.

any ideas?

Answer 1

Yes, you can just use the parts you want.

Simply create your own partial mini_cmath.h header for those functions / globals you need access to (assuming those don't conflict!).

As several have noted, there's no way to only #include a given chunk (unless the included header has preprocessor macros to enable such a thing, such as windows.h)

But if you simply declare those functions you wish to use (correctly), and then compile & link (as long as the necessary .lib is included in your link), then you're golden.

---

However, on a more general note - globals are a bad idea in general, but if you absolutely must use them for hopefully valid reasons, then you should be putting them in a namespace, and referencing them in your source by fully qualified name:

namespace AcmeCorp {
  int g_fubar;
}
AcmeCorp::g_fubar = 9;

Answer 2

Put your code in your own namespace. By using namespace operator (::) you can distinguish variables with the same name (and which are in the same scope).

Answer 3

Just use them?

#include <cmath>

int main()
{
    double d = 4.0;
    sqrt(d);
    exp(d);
}

You can also explicitly specify the namespace:

#include <cmath>

int main()
{
    double d = 4.0;
    std::sqrt(d);
    std::exp(d);
}

You can, if you want, bring in specific names from namespaces without bringing in the whole namespace. This is done using the using keyword. Please don't create a #define for this:

#include <string>

using std::string;

int main()
{
    string s = "foo";
}

Answer 4

Just #include <cmath>. If your variable names are such an issue, then rename them. You can't include just a piece of a file.

Answer 5

EDIT: Why should a y1 conflict with anything in math.h? Use your own namespace. You'll still be able to use sqrt and you can access stuff from your namespace by resolving through mynamespace::y1.

Anyway, cmath is an alias of the header file math.h. std is a namespace, which contains the cout object in iostream.h.

So while you can use std::cout, you can't do the same scope resolution with a header file. You just have to include math.h, or cmath.

And you don't need to use a #define for cout like that. Just add a using namespace std and you won't have to resolve the scope.

And using an entire namespace does not cause any overhead, if that's what you're concerned about. Cheers!

Answer 6

y1() is one of a number of POSIX extensions to the C math library. You can remove these extensions by undefining the following macros before including <cmath>:

#undef _SVID_SOURCE
#undef _BSD_SOURCE
#undef _XOPEN_SOURCE

It's also a very good idea in general to avoid putting any of your own names in the global namespace, since there's a good chance of a collision if you use any C libraries. Avoid global variables whenever you can and, if you must use one, put it inside your own namespace.