std::map with function pointers

Question

My issue here is not that I can't map to function pointers, but more the other way around.

With my current setup, I can instantiate classes through strings. Now, I'm trying to get strings from class types.

My proposed method:

class A {};

template <typename T> T* create(void) { return new T; }

static std::map<std::string,A*(*)(void)> str_to_class;
static std::map<A*(*)(void),std::string> class_to_str;

template <typename T> void Bind(std::string identity) {
    // T must inherit from A.
    str_to_class[identity]=&create<T>;
    class_to_str[&create<T>]=identity;
}

A* MakeFromString(std::string identity) {
    return str_to_class[identity](); // Compiles fine.
}

template <typename T> std::string GetTypeString(void) {
    return class_to_str[&create<T>]; // Error! 
}

int main(int,char**) {
    Bind<A>("A");
    A* new_entity=CreateFromString("A");
}

Error: C2679: binary '[' : no operator found which takes a right-hand operand of type 'overloaded-function' (or there is no acceptable conversion)

I know I can use dynamic_cast<> to check entity types, but that would require writing code for every class that would be used.

Answer 1

The problem is that create() returns a type different than what is specified as the return type of the maps key template argument. Since everything uses A as the base / primary class type you should consider doing the same for create() .

template <typename T> A* create(void) { return new T; }
                     ^^^^

Answer 2

I have done something similar which is about mapping string to function pointer of any type. From my answer which was posted here :

#include <string>
#include <iostream>
#include <map>
#include <vector>

int fun1(){
    std::cout<<"inside fun1\n";
    return 2;
}

void fun2(void){
    std::cout<<"inside fun2\n";
}

int fun3(int a){
    std::cout<<"inside fun3\n";
    return a;
}

std::vector<int> fun4(){
    std::cout<<"inside fun4\n";
    std::vector<int> v(4,100);
    return v;
}

// every function pointer will be stored as this type
typedef void (*voidFunctionType)(void); 

struct Interface{

    std::map<std::string,voidFunctionType> m1;

    template<typename T>
    void insert(std::string s1, T f1){
        m1.insert(std::make_pair(s1,(voidFunctionType)f1));
    }

    template<typename T,typename... Args>
    T searchAndCall(std::string s1, Args&&... args){
        auto mapIter = m1.find(s1);
        /*chk if not end*/

        auto mapVal = mapIter->second;

        // auto typeCastedFun = reinterpret_cast<T(*)(Args ...)>(mapVal); 
        auto typeCastedFun = (T(*)(Args ...))(mapVal); 
        return typeCastedFun(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
    }
};

int main(){
    Interface a1;
    a1.insert("fun1",fun1);
    a1.insert("fun2",fun2);
    a1.insert("fun3",fun3);
    a1.insert("fun4",fun4);

    int retVal = a1.searchAndCall<int>("fun3",2);
    a1.searchAndCall<void>("fun2");
    auto temp = a1.searchAndCall<std::vector<int>>("fun4");

    return 0;
}