std::map equal_range() method

since C++14

// (1) Non const version
std::pair<iterator, iterator> equal_range( const Key& key );

// (2) Const version
std::pair<const_iterator, const_iterator> equal_range( const Key& key ) const;

// (3) Non const version
template< class K >
std::pair<iterator, iterator> equal_range( const K& x );

// (4) Const version
template< class K >
std::pair<const_iterator, const_iterator> equal_range( const K& x ) const;

since C++98

// (1) Non const version
std::pair<iterator, iterator> equal_range( const Key& key );

// (2) Const version
std::pair<const_iterator, const_iterator> equal_range( const Key& key ) const;

Returns a range containing all elements with the given key in the container. The range is defined by two iterators, one pointing to the first element that is not less than key and another pointing to the first element greater than key. Alternatively, the first iterator may be obtained with lower_bound(), and the second with upper_bound().

• (1-2) Compares the keys to key.
• (3-4) Compares the keys to the value x. This overload participates in overload resolution only if the qualified-id Compare::is_transparent is valid and denotes a type. It allows calling this function without constructing an instance of Key.

Parameters

• key - key value of the elements to count
• x - a value of any type that can be transparently compared with a key

Return value

std::pair containing a pair of iterators defining the wanted range: the first pointing to the first element that is not less than key and the second pointing to the first element greater than key.

If there are no elements not less than key, past-the-end (see end()) iterator is returned as the first element. Similarly if there are no elements greater than key, past-the-end iterator is returned as the second element.

Complexity

Logarithmic in the size of the container - O(log size()).

Exceptions

(none)

Notes

Feature testing macro: __cpp_lib_generic_associative_lookup (for overloads (3) and (4)).

Examples

Main.cpp

#include <map>
#include <iostream>
 
int main()
{
    const std::map<int, const char*> m{
        { 0, "zero" },
        { 1, "one" },
        { 2, "two" },
    };
 
    {
        auto p = m.equal_range(1);
        for (auto& q = p.first; q != p.second; ++q) {
            std::cout << "m[" << q->first << "] = " << q->second << '\n';
        }
 
        if (p.second == m.find(2)) {
            std::cout << "end of equal_range (p.second) is one-past p.first\n";
        } else {
            std::cout << "unexpected; p.second expected to be one-past p.first\n";
        }
    }
 
    {
        auto pp = m.equal_range(-1);
        if (pp.first == m.begin()) {
            std::cout << "pp.first is iterator to first not-less than -1\n";
        } else {
            std::cout << "unexpected pp.first\n";
        }
 
        if (pp.second == m.begin()) {
            std::cout << "pp.second is iterator to first element greater-than -1\n";
        } else {
            std::cout << "unexpected pp.second\n";
        }
    }
 
    {
        auto ppp = m.equal_range(3);
        if (ppp.first == m.end()) {
            std::cout << "ppp.first is iterator to first not-less than 3\n";
        } else {
            std::cout << "unexpected ppp.first\n";
        }
 
        if (ppp.second == m.end()) {
            std::cout << "ppp.second is iterator to first element greater-than 3\n";
        } else {
            std::cout << "unexpected ppp.second\n";
        }
    }
}

Output

m[1] = one
end of equal_range (p.second) is one-past p.first
pp.first is iterator to first not-less than -1
pp.second is iterator to first element greater-than -1
ppp.first is iterator to first not-less than 3
ppp.second is iterator to first element greater-than 3