CPP20 Introduction: New Operator＜=＞

CPP20 Introduction: New Operator <=>

Author: kagula

Date: 2-18-2023

Introduction

        A concise description of how to use cpp20 new operator <=> by examples.

Environment & Dependencies

• Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2022 17.4.5
• Microsoft Unit Test Framework
• Change C++ Language Standard's default setting to ISO C++ 20 Standard in the new unit test project properties.

Content

        Operator <=> is consist of operator <, operator ==, and operator > and it takes precedence over these comparison operators when they use together.

        Operator <=> returns one of six possibles which are less, greater, equivalent (or equal), these prefixes with std::strong_ordering or std::partial_ordering, respectively.

		TEST_METHOD(TestBetweenIntegerVariables)
		{
			int x = 1, y = 2;
			Assert::IsTrue(x <=> y == std::strong_ordering::less);
			Assert::IsTrue(x <=> 1.0 == std::partial_ordering::equivalent);

			if (x <=> y == std::strong_ordering::equal == false)
			{
				//std::strong_ordering::equal's  alias is std::strong_ordering::equivalent
				Logger::WriteMessage("the variable x is not equal y.\n");
			}

			//In addition, all types of the C++ standard library that provide relational operators also provide operator<=>

			Logger::WriteMessage("TestBetweenIntegerVariables is done.\n");
		}

		TEST_METHOD(TestBetweenObjects)
		{
			using namespace std;
			class Person {
				string _firstName;
				string _lastName;//last name is sur name.

			public:
				Person(const string firstName, const string lastName)
				{
					_firstName = firstName, _lastName = lastName;
				}

				//I don't like using auto placeholder, so...
				std::strong_ordering operator <=>(Person& rhs) const
				{
					auto cmp1 = _lastName <=> rhs._lastName; // primary member for ordering
					if (cmp1 != 0) return cmp1;

					return _firstName <=> rhs._firstName;
				}
			};

			Person a("A","kagula"),b("B", "kagula");

			if (a <=> b == std::strong_ordering::less)
			{
				Logger::WriteMessage("the object a is less than b.\n");
			}

			Logger::WriteMessage("TestBetweenObjects is done.\n");
		}

Reference

1. <<C++20 The Complete Guide>> First Edition by Josuttis N.