Using 'auto' type deduction - how to find out what type the compiler deduced?

Question

How can I find out what type the compiler deduced when using the auto keyword?

Example 1: Simpler

auto tickTime = 0.001;

W

Answer 1

Here's a typeid version that uses boost::core::demangle to get the type name at runtime.

#include <string>
#include <iostream>
#include <typeinfo>
#include <vector>
using namespace std::literals;

#include <boost/core/demangle.hpp>

template<typename T>
std::string type_str(){ return boost::core::demangle(typeid(T).name()); }

auto main() -> int{
    auto make_vector = [](auto head, auto ... tail) -> std::vector<decltype(head)>{
        return {head, tail...};
    };

    auto i = 1;
    auto f = 1.f;
    auto d = 1.0;
    auto s = "1.0"s;
    auto v = make_vector(1, 2, 3, 4, 5);

    std::cout
    << "typeof(i) = " << type_str<decltype(i)>() << '\n'
    << "typeof(f) = " << type_str<decltype(f)>() << '\n'
    << "typeof(d) = " << type_str<decltype(d)>() << '\n'
    << "typeof(s) = " << type_str<decltype(s)>() << '\n'
    << "typeof(v) = " << type_str<decltype(v)>() << '\n'
    << std::endl;
}

Which prints this on my system:

typeof(i) = int
typeof(f) = float
typeof(d) = double
typeof(s) = std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >
typeof(v) = std::vector<int, std::allocator<int> >

Answer 2

This SO answer gives a nice function for printing out the name of a type (actually a couple of implementations).

Additionally this free, open-source, header-only library gives a nice way to print out the value and type of chrono::durations.

Putting these two utilities together:

#include "chrono_io.h"
#include "type_name.h"
#include <iomanip>
#include <iostream>

int
main()
{
    using namespace date;
    typedef std::ratio<1, 1> sec;
    std::chrono::duration<double, sec > timePerTick2{0.001};
    auto nextTickTime = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now() + timePerTick2;
    std::cout << type_name<decltype(nextTickTime)>() << '\n';
    std::cout << std::setprecision(12) << nextTickTime.time_since_epoch() << '\n';
}

This output for me:

std::__1::chrono::time_point<std::__1::chrono::steady_clock, std::__1::chrono::duration<double, std::__1::ratio<1, 1000000000> > >
4.8530542088e+14ns

Answer 3

As Daniel Jour said, read the error message:

... _Tp = std::chrono::time_point<
           std::chrono::_V2::system_clock,
           std::chrono::duration<
             double, std::ratio<1l, 1000000000l> > > ...

Answer 4

A lo-fi trick that doesn't require any prior helper definitions is:

typename decltype(nextTickTime)::_

The compiler will complain that _ isn't a member of whatever type nextTickTime is.

Answer 5

Here is a way to force a compile error, which shows the type of tickTime:

struct {} baD = tickTime;