I stumbled across the following:
template<> inline bool Value::GetValue<bool>() const {
return m_Value.ValueBoolean(); // union
}
Can’t understand what the empty template declaration does ?
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Kjell Gunnar
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1It's a [template specialization](http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/language/template_specialization). – bejado Mar 09 '17 at 19:56
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[Template Specialization](http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/language/template_specialization). – Xirema Mar 09 '17 at 19:57
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Good question (hard to search if you don't know the terms), but most likely a duplicate. – Bathsheba Mar 09 '17 at 19:59
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"template<> inline bla bla" add another bla and I think you almost have a *NSYNC song. Always wondered why they were dereferencing a constant. – user4581301 Mar 09 '17 at 20:00
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Which C++ book are you using to learn the language? – Lightness Races in Orbit Mar 09 '17 at 20:04
2 Answers
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This is an explicit specialization of a template function for type bool. Explicit specialization is where template <> syntax is used.
template <typename T> void foo(T t) // Main template
{
...
}
template <> void foo<bool>(bool b) // Explicit specialization for type `bool`
{
...
}
The fact that in your example it is applied to a template of a class member function is completely inconsequential. The fact that the function is declared inline is also completely besides the point.
AnT stands with Russia
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Note that the return types don't have to be the same or even related. – Bathsheba Mar 09 '17 at 20:02
