Templates: A mechanism that allows you to use a generic placeholder for a data type when defining a class. So

instead of having several classes that are all the same except for the data type $($e$.$g$.$

CResizableShortArray, CResizableIntegerArray, CResizableLongArray$)$ you can have just one class

CResizableArray. When an instance is created, the actual data type to be used is specified. The

compiler substitutes that data type for the placeholder in the class.

How to convert a class to a template in nine easy steps:

$1)$ Add $$template $$ immediately before the class declaration.

$2)$ Change the data type for any class properties to GenericDataType.

$3)$ Change the data type for any class method parameters or return values to GenericDataType.

$4)$ Wrap the class declaration in #ifndef$/$#define$/$#endif commands. $($See example below$)$

$5)$ Include the source file at the botton of the header file. For example:

#ifndef CRESIZABLE$\_$ARRAY$\_$H

#define CRESIZABLE$\_$ARRAY$\_$H

template

class CResizableArray

$\{$

$...$

$\}$;

$//$ Must include source file in header file or define all methods in header file after class declaration.

#include $$CResizableArray$.$cpp$$

#endif

$6)$ Wrap the class method definitions in #ifndef$/$#define$/$#endif commands.

#ifndef CRESIZABLE$\_$ARRAY$\_$CPP

#define CRESIZABLE$\_$ARRAY$\_$CPP