C++11 : std::tuple Tutorial & Examples

In this article we will discuss what is std::tuple and how to use it.

what is std::tuple and why do we need it ?

std::tuple is a type that can bind fixed size heterogeneous values together. We need to specify the type of elements as template parameter while creating tuple object.

Creating a std::tuple object

Let’s declare a std::tuple that is a collection of an int, double and std::string i.e.

// Creating a tuple of int, double and string
std::tuple<int, double, std::string> result(7, 9.8, "text");

Now, all the three types of variables are encapsulated in a single object. We can return this tuple object from a function too. So, basically it helps us to return multiple values from a function. Eventually, it helps us to avoid creating unnecessary structs.

Header file required,

#include <tuple> // Required for std::tuple

Getting elements from a std::tuple

We can get the element hidden in tuple object using std::get function by specifying the index value as template argument.

Let’s get the first element from tuple object i.e.

CODE// Get First int value from tuple
int iVal = std::get<0>(result);

Similarly get the 2nd and 3rd element from tuple object i.e.

// Get second double value from tuple
double dVal = std::get<1>(result);

// Get third string value from tuple
std::string strVal = std::get<2>(result);

Getting Out Of Range value from tuple

Fetching any element with index more than number of elements encapsulated by tuple will cause compile time error.
For example, trying to get 4th element from tuple will cause compile time error, because this tuple object has only 3 elements i.e.

// Get 4th int value from tuple
// Will cause compile error because this tuple
// has only 3 elements

int iVal2 = std::get<4>(result); // Compile error

Wrong type cast while getting value from tuple

Similarly using wrong type while getting element from tuple will also cause error i.e.

// Wrong cast will force compile time error
// Get first value from tuple in a string
std::string strVal2 = std::get<0>(result); // Compile error

Above line will cause compile error because type of first element in tuple is int not string/

Getting value from tuple by dynamic index

Template parameter in std::get whould be compile time constant otherwise it will cause compile time error i.e.

int x = 1;

// Get second double value from tuple
// Compile error because x is not compile time contant
double dVal2 = std::get<x>(result); // Compile error

Above line will cause compile error because x is not compile time const. Where as below lines will work fine

const int i = 1;
// Get second double value from tuple
double dVal3 = std::get<i>(result);

Complete example is as follows,

#include <iostream>
#include <tuple> // Required for std::tuple
#include <string>

/*
 * Returning multiple values from a function by binding them in a single
 * tuple object.
 */
std::tuple<int, double, std::string> someFunction()
{
	// Creating a tuple of int, double and string
	std::tuple<int, double, std::string> result(7, 9.8, "text");

	// Returning tuple object
	return result;
}

int main()
{

	// Get tuple object from a function
	std::tuple<int, double, std::string> result = someFunction();

	// Get values from tuple

	// Get First int value from tuple
	int iVal = std::get < 0 > (result);

	// Get second double value from tuple
	double dVal = std::get < 1 > (result);

	// Get third string value from tuple
	std::string strVal = std::get < 2 > (result);

	// Print values
	std::cout << "int value = " << iVal << std::endl;
	std::cout << "double value = " << dVal << std::endl;
	std::cout << "string value = " << strVal << std::endl;

	// Get 4th int value from tuple
	// Will cause compile error because this tuple
	// has only 3 elements

	//int iVal2 = std::get<4>(result); // Compile error

	// Wrong cast will force compile time error
	// Get first value from tuple in a string

	//std::string strVal2 = std::get<0>(result); // Compile error

	int x = 1;

	// Get second double value from tuple
	// Compile error because x is not compile time contant

	//double dVal2 = std::get<x>(result);

	const int i = 1;
	// Get second double value from tuple
	double dVal3 = std::get < i > (result);

	return 0;
}

Output:

int value = 7
double value = 9.8
string value = text