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TypeErasure.cpp

// Type Erasure
// https://channel9.msdn.com/Events/GoingNative/2013/Inheritance-Is-The-Base-Class-of-Evil
// https://akrzemi1.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/type-erasure-part-i/

#include<memory>
#include<iostream>


struct Printable {
  
  struct Concept {
    virtual void print()=0;
  };
  
  template<class T>
  struct Model : Concept {
    T model;
    Model(T m): model{m}{}
    virtual void print(){ model.print(); }
  };
  
  template<class T>
  Printable(T const& printable)
    : pimpl{ new Model<T>(printable) }
  {}
  
  void print(){ pimpl->print(); }
  
  std::unique_ptr<Concept> pimpl;
};



struct Number {
  int x;
  void print() const { std::cout << x << std::endl; }  
};

struct Vector {
  int x;
  int y;
  void print() const { std::cout << "("<<x <<"|"<<y<<")"<< std::endl; }  
};


void printMe(Printable x) {
  x.print();
}


// printMe(Number{3})
// printMe(Vector{3,4})