std::ranges::set_difference() algorithm

since C++20

Simplified

// (1)
constexpr set_difference_result<I1, O>
    set_difference( I1 first1, S1 last1, I2 first2, S2 last2, O result,
                    Comp comp = {}, Proj1 proj1 = {}, Proj2 proj2 = {} );

// (2)
constexpr set_difference_result<ranges::borrowed_iterator_t<R1>, O>
    set_difference( R1&& r1, R2&& r2, O result, Comp comp = {},
                    Proj1 proj1 = {}, Proj2 proj2 = {} );

The type of arguments are generic and have the following constraints:

• I1, I2 - std::input_iterator
• S1, S2 - std::sentinel_for<I1>, std::sentinel_for<I2>
• R1, R2 - std::ranges::input_range
• O - std::weakly_incrementable
• Comp - (none)
• Proj1, Proj2 - (none)

The Proj and Comp template arguments have the following default types: std::identity, ranges::less for all overloads.

Additionaly, each overload has the following constraints:

• (1) - mergeable<I1, I2, O, Comp, Proj1, Proj2>
• (2) - mergeable<ranges::iterator_t<R1>, ranges::iterator_t<R2>, O, Comp, Proj1, Proj2>

(The std:: namespace was ommited here for readability)

Detailed

// (1)
template<
  std::input_iterator I1,
  std::sentinel_for<I1> S1,
  std::input_iterator I2,
  std::sentinel_for<I2> S2,
  std::weakly_incrementable O,
  class Comp = ranges::less,
  class Proj1 = std::identity,
  class Proj2 = std::identity
>
  requires std::mergeable<I1, I2, O, Comp, Proj1, Proj2>
constexpr set_difference_result<I1, O>
    set_difference( I1 first1, S1 last1, I2 first2, S2 last2, O result,
                    Comp comp = {}, Proj1 proj1 = {}, Proj2 proj2 = {} );

// (2)
template<
  ranges::input_range R1,
  ranges::input_range R2,
  std::weakly_incrementable O,
  class Comp = ranges::less,
  class Proj1 = std::identity,
  class Proj2 = std::identity
>
  requires std::mergeable<ranges::iterator_t<R1>, ranges::iterator_t<R2>,
                          O, Comp, Proj1, Proj2>
constexpr set_difference_result<ranges::borrowed_iterator_t<R1>, O>
    set_difference( R1&& r1, R2&& r2, O result, Comp comp = {},
                    Proj1 proj1 = {}, Proj2 proj2 = {} );

With the helper types defined as follows:

template< class I, class O >
using set_difference_result = ranges::in_out_result<I, O>;

Copies the elements from the sorted input range [first1; last1) which are not found in the sorted input range [first2; last2) to the output range beginning at result.

• (1) Elements are compared using the given binary comparison function comp.
• (2) Same as (1), but uses r1 as the first range and r2 as the second range, as if using ranges::begin(r1) as first1, ranges::end(r1) as last1, ranges::begin(r2) as first2, and ranges::end(r2) as last2.

Undefined Behaviour

The behavior is undefined if:

• The input ranges are not sorted with respect to comp and proj1 or proj2, respectively
• Or the resulting range overlaps with either of the input ranges.

The function-like entities described on this page are niebloids.

Parameters

first1 last1	The first sorted input range.
r r1	The first sorted input range.
first2 last2	The second sorted input range.
r2	The second sorted input range.
result	The beginning of the destination range.
comp	Comparator to apply to the projected elements.
proj1	Projection to apply to the elements in the first range.
proj2	Projection to apply to the elements in the second range.

Return value

A value of type ranges::set_difference_result initialized as follows:

{
  last1,
  result_last
}

Where result_last is the end of the constructed range.

Complexity

Given N1 as ranges::distance(first1, last1) and N2 as ranges::distance(first2, last12):

2 * (N1 + N2) − 1 comparisons and applications of each projection.

Exceptions

(none)

Possible implementation

set_difference(1) and set_difference(2)

struct set_difference_fn
{
    template<std::input_iterator I1, std::sentinel_for<I1> S1,
             std::input_iterator I2, std::sentinel_for<I2> S2,
             std::weakly_incrementable O, class Comp = ranges::less,
             class Proj1 = std::identity, class Proj2 = std::identity >
    requires std::mergeable<I1, I2, O, Comp, Proj1, Proj2>
    constexpr ranges::set_difference_result<I1, O>
        operator()(I1 first1, S1 last1, I2 first2, S2 last2,
                   O result, Comp comp = {},
                   Proj1 proj1 = {}, Proj2 proj2 = {}) const
    {
        while (!(first1 == last1 or first2 == last2))
        {
            if (std::invoke(comp, std::invoke(proj1, *first1), std::invoke(proj2, *first2)))
            {
                *result = *first1;
                ++first1;
                ++result;
            }
            else if (std::invoke(comp, std::invoke(proj2, *first2),
                                 std::invoke(proj1, *first1)))
            {
                ++first2;
            }
            else
            {
                ++first1;
                ++first2;
            }
        }
        return ranges::copy(std::move(first1), std::move(last1), std::move(result));
    }

    template<ranges::input_range R1, ranges::input_range R2,
             std::weakly_incrementable O, class Comp = ranges::less,
             class Proj1 = std::identity, class Proj2 = std::identity>
    requires std::mergeable<ranges::iterator_t<R1>, ranges::iterator_t<R2>,
                            O, Comp, Proj1, Proj2>
    constexpr ranges::set_difference_result<ranges::borrowed_iterator_t<R1>, O>
        operator()(R1&& r1, R2&& r2, O result, Comp comp = {},
                   Proj1 proj1 = {}, Proj2 proj2 = {}) const
    {
        return (*this)(ranges::begin(r1), ranges::end(r1),
                       ranges::begin(r2), ranges::end(r2),
                       std::move(result), std::move(comp),
                       std::move(proj1), std::move(proj2));
    }
};

inline constexpr set_difference_fn set_difference {};

Examples

Main.cpp

#include <algorithm>
#include <cassert>
#include <iostream>
#include <iterator>
#include <string_view>
#include <vector>

auto print = [](const auto& v, std::string_view end = "")
{
    for (std::cout << "{ "; auto i : v)
        std::cout << i << ' ';
    std::cout << "} " << end;
};

struct Order // a struct with some very interesting data
{
    int order_id {};

    friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const Order& ord)
    {
        return os << "{" << ord.order_id << "},";
    }
};

int main()
{
    const auto v1 = {1, 2, 5, 5, 5, 9};
    const auto v2 = {2, 5, 7};
    std::vector<int> diff {};

    std::ranges::set_difference(v1, v2, std::back_inserter(diff));
    print(v1, "∖ ");
    print(v2, "= ");
    print(diff, "\n");

    // we want to know which orders "cut" between old and new states:
    const std::vector<Order> old_orders { {1}, {2}, {5}, {9}, };
    const std::vector<Order> new_orders { {2}, {5}, {7}, };
    std::vector<Order> cut_orders(old_orders.size() + new_orders.size());

    auto [old_orders_end, cut_orders_last] =
        std::ranges::set_difference(old_orders, new_orders,
                                    cut_orders.begin(), {},
                                    &Order::order_id, &Order::order_id);
    assert(old_orders_end == old_orders.end());

    std::cout << "old orders = "; print(old_orders, "\n");
    std::cout << "new orders = "; print(new_orders, "\n");
    std::cout << "cut orders = "; print(cut_orders, "\n");
    cut_orders.erase(cut_orders_last, end(cut_orders));
    std::cout << "cut orders = "; print(cut_orders, "\n");
}

Output

{ 1 2 5 5 5 9 } ∖ { 2 5 7 } = { 1 5 5 9 } 
old orders = { {1}, {2}, {5}, {9}, } 
new orders = { {2}, {5}, {7}, } 
cut orders = { {1}, {9}, {0}, {0}, {0}, {0}, {0}, } 
cut orders = { {1}, {9}, }