Using the Standard C++ Library in Visual C++ 5.0

Visual C++ 5.0 provides the Standard C++ Library facilities through include files and associated static/dynamic libraries. A C++ program can use the different components of the Standard C++ Library by including the required header and linking with the appropriate static/dynamic library.

Building a Program Using Standard C++ Library Components

• The Standard C++ Library is implemented in the namespace std. One can fully qualify the component name using syntax like std::vector<int>; or specify the namespace via the using namespace directive, for example, using namespace std;. It is also possible to use the using declaration. For example, using std::vector<int> ;
  
• Exception handling must be enabled, otherwise you will get compiler warning C4530. The compiler option for enabling exception handling is /GX
  
• Specify the Standard C++ Library, and a basic C Runtime Library. Use the compiler option ML[d]/MT[d]/MD[d] to specify the version of the library to be linked with the program. See the Visual C++ 5.0 Standard C++ Library and Basic C Runtime Library section for more details.
  

NOTE: You cannot mix the old Iostream library and the Standard C++ Library. See the Visual C++ 5.0 Standard C++ Library Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Example: Creating an Array of Names

The following sample creates an array of strings and prints the contents of the array. The array is created using the vector container.

Compile the following program from the command prompt using:

	c:\>cl /GX /ML test.cpp

//test.cpp

#pragma warning(disable: 4786)

#include <vector>
#include <string>
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
	//Create an array of strings
	std::vector<std::string> Names ;

	//Create iterator to access elements in the vector
	std::vector<std::string>::iterator NamesIt ;

	//Insert elements in the vector
	Names.push_back("She") ;
	Names.push_back("sells") ;
	Names.push_back("sea") ;
	Names.push_back("shells") ;
	Names.push_back("by") ;
	Names.push_back("the") ;
	Names.push_back("sea") ;
	Names.push_back("shore") ;

	std::cout << "Elements in vector Names = " << std::endl ;
	//print the elements in the vector
	for(NamesIt = Names.begin(); NamesIt != Names.end(); NamesIt++) 
	{
		std::cout << *NamesIt << " " ;
	}
	std::cout << std::endl ;

	return 0 ;
}

Program Output

Elements in vector Names =
She sells sea shells by the sea shore

The above sample uses three files from the Standard C++ Library. Notice that the header files do not have a ".h" extension. Most of the Standard C++ Library headers do not have the ".h" extension.

The compiler option /ML informs the linker to link this program with LIBC.LIB (Single Threaded C Runtime Library) and LIBCP.LIB (single Threaded Standard C++ Library) in addition to other libraries.

Visual C++ 5.0 Standard C++ Library and Basic C Runtime Library

The following section lists the static/dynamic libraries associated with the Standard C++ Library, the Basic C Runtime Library, and the old Iostream Library, and the related compiler options.

NOTE: Starting with Visual C++ 4.2, the Iostream Library was pulled out from C Runtime Library. From Visual C++ 4.2 onwards we have the following libraries in addition to other Visual C++ libraries.

• The Basic C Runtime Library
• The Standard C++ Library (contains the new Iostream Library)
• The old Iostream Library (contains the old Iostream Library, that is the library linked with a program which includes headers like <iostream.h>, <fstream.h> etc.)