Thyra::Converter< Scalar, TargetType > Class Template Reference
[Development of linear Abstract Numerical Algorithms (ANAs)]

Converter that defines the interface for objects that can be converted to vectors. More...

#include <Thyra_VectorDecl.hpp>

Inheritance diagram for Thyra::Converter< Scalar, TargetType >:


Public Member Functions
virtual	~Converter ()

virtual TargetType	convert () const =0
	Convert to the specified target type (e.g., Vector or ConstVector).
virtual void	evalInto (Vector< Scalar > &acceptor) const =0
	Evaluate this object, writing the results into the acceptor std::vector.
virtual bool	containsVector (const Thyra::VectorBase< Scalar > *vec) const =0
	Determine whether this object contains the given std::vector.
virtual void	addInto (Vector< Scalar > &other, Thyra::LCSign sign) const =0
	Evaluate this object, adding the results into the argument std::vector. The sign argument indicates whether this operation is an addition or a subtraction.

Detailed Description

template<class Scalar, class TargetType>
class Thyra::Converter< Scalar, TargetType >

Converter that defines the interface for objects that can be converted to vectors.

Obviously, vectors can be converted to vectors, but so can linear combinations of vectors or operators times vectors.

This interface is key to efficient overloaded operators. Operators do not perform std::vector operations directly; rather, they construct Converter subtypes (such as LC2 or OpTimesLC) that represent the operation to be performed. The actual operations are carried out only upon either (a) assignment to a std::vector, or (b) the Converter is used in a context in which its std::vector value is required, for instance, when an operation such as a norm is to be performed.

Because overloaded operators must always create and return temporary objects, returning constant-size deferred-evaluation Converter subtypes rather than vectors results in constant-time overhead rather than the $O(N)$ overhead that would be incurred with std::vector return values.