std::any_cast

 

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Language support Type support (basic types, RTTI) Library feature-test macros (C++20) Dynamic memory management Program utilities Coroutine support (C++20) Variadic functions is_constant_evaluated (C++20) is_within_lifetime (C++26) initializer_list (C++11) source_location (C++20) Three-way comparison three_way_comparablethree_way_comparable_with (C++20)(C++20) strong_ordering (C++20) weak_ordering (C++20) partial_ordering (C++20) common_comparison_category (C++20) compare_three_way_result (C++20) compare_three_way (C++20) strong_order (C++20) weak_order (C++20) partial_order (C++20) compare_strong_order_fallback (C++20) compare_weak_order_fallback (C++20) compare_partial_order_fallback (C++20)   is_eqis_ltis_lteq (C++20)(C++20)(C++20)   is_neqis_gtis_gteq (C++20)(C++20)(C++20)

General utilities Date and time Function objects Formatting library (C++20)   bitset hash (C++11) Relational operators (deprecated in C++20) rel_ops::operator!=rel_ops::operator>    rel_ops::operator<=rel_ops::operator>= Integer comparison functions cmp_equalcmp_lesscmp_less_than (C++20)(C++20)(C++20)   cmp_not_equalcmp_greatercmp_greater_than (C++20)(C++20)(C++20) in_range (C++20) Swap and type operations swap ranges::swap (C++20) exchange (C++14) declval (C++11) to_underlying (C++23) forward (C++11) forward_like (C++23) move (C++11) move_if_noexcept (C++11) as_const (C++17) Common vocabulary types pair tuple (C++11) optional (C++17) any (C++17) variant (C++17) tuple_size (C++11) tuple_element (C++11) apply (C++17) make_from_tuple (C++17) expected (C++23) Elementary string conversions to_chars (C++17) from_chars (C++17) chars_format (C++17) to_chars_result (C++17) from_chars_result (C++17)

 

std::any

Member functions

any::any

any::~any

any::operator=

Modifiers

any::emplace

any::reset

any::swap

Observers

any::has_value

any::type

Non-member functions

swap(std::any)

any_cast

make_any

Helper classes

bad_any_cast

 

Defined in header <any>
template< class T > T any_cast( const any& operand );	(1)	(since C++17)
template< class T > T any_cast( any& operand );	(2)	(since C++17)
template< class T > T any_cast( any&& operand );	(3)	(since C++17)
template< class T > const T* any_cast( const any* operand ) noexcept;	(4)	(since C++17)
template< class T > T* any_cast( any* operand ) noexcept;	(5)	(since C++17)

Performs type-safe access to the contained object.

Let U be std::remove_cv_t<std::remove_reference_t<T>>.

1) The program is ill-formed if std::is_constructible_v<T, const U&> is false.

2) The program is ill-formed if std::is_constructible_v<T, U&> is false.

3) The program is ill-formed if std::is_constructible_v<T, U> is false.

4,5) The program is ill-formed if std::is_void_v<T> is true.

Parameters

operand

-

target any object

Return value

1,2) Returns static_cast<T>(*std::any_cast<U>(&operand)).

3) Returns static_cast<T>(std::move(*std::any_cast<U>(&operand))).

4,5) If operand is not a null pointer, and the typeid of the requested T matches that of the contents of operand, a pointer to the value contained by operand, otherwise a null pointer.

Exceptions

1-3) Throws std::bad_any_cast if the typeid of the requested T does not match that of the contents of operand.

Example

Run this code

#include <any>
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <type_traits>
#include <utility>
 
int main()
{
    // Simple example
    auto a1 = std::any(12);
    std::cout << "1) a1 is int: " << std::any_cast<int>(a1) << '\n';
 
    try
    {
        auto s = std::any_cast<std::string>(a1); // throws
    }
    catch (const std::bad_any_cast& e)
    {
        std::cout << "2) " << e.what() << '\n';
    }
 
    // Pointer example
    if (int* i = std::any_cast<int>(&a1))
        std::cout << "3) a1 is int: " << *i << '\n';
    else if (std::string* s = std::any_cast<std::string>(&a1))
        std::cout << "3) a1 is std::string: " << *s << '\n';
    else
        std::cout << "3) a1 is another type or unset\n";
 
    // Advanced example
    a1 = std::string("hello");
    auto& ra = std::any_cast<std::string&>(a1); //< reference
    ra[1] = 'o';
 
    std::cout << "4) a1 is string: "
              << std::any_cast<std::string const&>(a1) << '\n'; //< const reference
 
    auto s1 = std::any_cast<std::string&&>(std::move(a1)); //< rvalue reference
    // Note: “s1” is a move-constructed std::string:
    static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(s1), std::string>);
 
    // Note: the std::string in “a1” is left in valid but unspecified state
    std::cout << "5) a1.size(): "
              << std::any_cast<std::string>(&a1)->size() //< pointer
              << '\n'
              << "6) s1: " << s1 << '\n';
}

Possible output:

1) a1 is int: 12
2) bad any_cast
3) a1 is int: 12
4) a1 is string: hollo
5) a1.size(): 0
6) s1: hollo

Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.

DR	Applied to	Behavior as published	Correct behavior
LWG 3305	C++17	the behavior of overloads (4,5) was unclear if T is void	the program ill-formed in this case