LaTeX note: two columns

To make a new page with two columns:

\begin{twocolumns}
...
\end{twocolumns}

Two columnns at the same page

\begin{multicols}{2}
...
\end{multicols}

Linux note: recursive replacement

This is a script to recursively do pattern replacing with dir

-----------------------------------
if [ $# -ne 3 ]
then
echo 'Usage: replace.sh dir pattern1 pattern2'
exit 85
fi

for f in `grep -rl $2 $1`;
do
sed "s/$2/$3/g" -i $f
done
--------------------------------------

$1 is the directory, $2 is the pattern to be replaced and $3 is the new pattern. This script iterates through all files in directory. Filtering can be done by changing the for loop into a detailed list of files.

C++ note: using a functor to help organise a vector of pointers

Suppose that some large structures need to be managed by using a heap. There is no limitation to the number of items, and therefore a vector is used to maintain the memory. Because they are organised in a heap, direct heap operation on the memory vector is slow. Therefore, another vector is used to store the indice.

template<cnode> myClass{
vector<cnode> memory;
vector<unsigned> indice;
}

Now the indice vector must store indice (unsigned) rather than pointers (CNode*). This is because when the memory vector is reallocated, the original pointers to the memory are invalid. Using pointer vectors will lead to segmentation-fault.

Pushing and popping heap operations can now be carried out on the indice. They should rely on node comparison. The standard node comparison function should read like:

// in myClass
bool less(const unsigned x, const unsigned y) { return memory[x] < memory[y]; }

The above code does not compile, because push_back and pop_back in std require a function with the signature less(x, y). A member function doesn't work. A solution is the functor.

struct CNodeLess {
const vector<CNode> *memory;
CNodeLess(const vector<CNode> &bm): memory(&bm) {}
bool operator()(const unsigned &x, const unsigned &y) { return (memory[x] < memory[y]); }

Now the class can have a member in CNodeLess that caches the memory, and provide the less(x,y) signature.