max

Compares two objects and returns the larger of the two, where the ordering criterion may be specified by a binary predicate.

template<class Type>
    const Type& max(
        const Type& _Left, 
        const Type& _Right
    );
template<class Type, class Pr>
    const Type& max(
        const Type& _Left, 
        const Type& _Right,
        BinaryPredicate _Comp
    );
template<class Type> 
    Type& max (
        initializer_list<Type> _Ilist
    );
template<class Type, class Pr> 
    Type& max(
        initializer_list<Type> _Ilist, 
        BinaryPredicate _Comp
    );

Parameters

• _Left
  The first of the two objects being compared.

• _Right
  The second of the two objects being compared.

• _Comp
  A binary predicate used to compare the two objects.

• _IList
  The initializer list that contains the objects to be compared.

Return Value

The greater of the two objects, unless neither is greater; in that case, it returns the first of the two objects. In the case of an initializer_list, it returns the greatest of the objects in the list.

Remarks

The max algorithm is unusual in having objects passed as parameters. Most Standard Template Library algorithms operate on a range of elements whose position is specified by iterators passed as parameters. If you need a function that operates on a range of elements, use max_element instead.

Example

// alg_max.cpp
// compile with: /EHsc
#include <vector>
#include <set>
#include <algorithm>
#include <iostream>
#include <ostream>

using namespace std;
class CInt;
ostream& operator<<( ostream& osIn, const CInt& rhs );

class CInt
{
public:
   CInt( int n = 0 ) : m_nVal( n ){}
   CInt( const CInt& rhs ) : m_nVal( rhs.m_nVal ){}
   CInt&   operator=( const CInt& rhs ) {m_nVal = 
   rhs.m_nVal; return *this;}
   bool operator<( const CInt& rhs ) const 
      {return ( m_nVal < rhs.m_nVal );}
   friend ostream& operator<<( ostream& osIn, const CInt& rhs );

private:
   int m_nVal;
};

inline ostream& operator<<( ostream& osIn, const CInt& rhs )
{
   osIn << "CInt( " << rhs.m_nVal << " )"; 
   return osIn;
}

// Return whether absolute value of elem1 is greater than 
// absolute value of elem2
bool abs_greater ( int elem1, int elem2 )
{
   if ( elem1 < 0 ) 
      elem1 = -elem1;
   if ( elem2 < 0 ) 
      elem2 = -elem2;
   return elem1 < elem2;
};

int main( )
{
   int a = 6, b = -7;
   // Return the integer with the larger absolute value
   const int& result1 = max(a, b, abs_greater);
   // Return the larger integer
   const int& result2 = max(a, b);

   cout << "Using integers 6 and -7..." << endl;
   cout << "The integer with the greater absolute value is: " 
        << result1 << "." << endl;
   cout << "The integer with the greater value is: " 
        << result2 << "." << endl;
   cout << endl;

// Comparing the members of an initializer_list
const int& result3 = max({ a, b });
const int& result4 = max({ a, b }, abs_greater);

cout << "Comparing the members of an initializer_list..." << endl;
cout << "The member with the greater value is: " << result3 << endl;
cout << "The integer with the greater absolute value is: " << result4 << endl;

   // Comparing set containers with elements of type CInt 
   // using the max algorithm
   CInt c1 = 1, c2 = 2, c3 = 3;
   set<CInt> s1, s2, s3;
   set<CInt>::iterator s1_Iter, s2_Iter, s3_Iter;
   
   s1.insert ( c1 );
   s1.insert ( c2 );
   s2.insert ( c2 );
   s2.insert ( c3 );

   cout << "s1 = (";
   for ( s1_Iter = s1.begin( ); s1_Iter != --s1.end( ); s1_Iter++ )
      cout << " " << *s1_Iter << ",";
   s1_Iter = --s1.end( );
   cout << " " << *s1_Iter << " )." << endl;

   cout << "s2 = (";
   for ( s2_Iter = s2.begin( ); s2_Iter != --s2.end( ); s2_Iter++ )
      cout << " " << *s2_Iter << ",";
   s2_Iter = --s2.end( );
   cout << " " << *s2_Iter << " )." << endl;

   s3 = max ( s1, s2 );
   cout << "s3 = max ( s1, s2 ) = (";
   for ( s3_Iter = s3.begin( ); s3_Iter != --s3.end( ); s3_Iter++ )
      cout << " " << *s3_Iter << ",";
   s3_Iter = --s3.end( );
   cout << " " << *s3_Iter << " )." << endl << endl;

   // Comparing vectors with integer elements using the max algorithm
   vector <int> v1, v2, v3, v4, v5;
   vector <int>::iterator Iter1, Iter2, Iter3, Iter4, Iter5;

   int i;
   for ( i = 0 ; i <= 2 ; i++ )
   {
      v1.push_back( i );
   }

   int ii;
   for ( ii = 0 ; ii <= 2 ; ii++ )
   {
      v2.push_back( ii );
   }

   int iii;
   for ( iii = 0 ; iii <= 2 ; iii++ )
   {
      v3.push_back( 2 * iii );
   }
   
   cout << "Vector v1 is ( " ;
   for ( Iter1 = v1.begin( ) ; Iter1 != v1.end( ) ; Iter1++ )
      cout << *Iter1 << " ";
   cout << ")." << endl;

   cout << "Vector v2 is ( " ;
   for ( Iter2 = v2.begin( ) ; Iter2 != v2.end( ) ; Iter2++ )
      cout << *Iter2 << " ";
   cout << ")." << endl;
   
   cout << "Vector v3 is ( " ;
   for ( Iter3 = v3.begin( ) ; Iter3 != v3.end( ) ; Iter3++ )
      cout << *Iter3 << " ";
   cout << ")." << endl;

   v4 = max ( v1, v2 );
   v5 = max ( v1, v3 );

   cout << "Vector v4 = max (v1,v2) is ( " ;
   for ( Iter4 = v4.begin( ) ; Iter4 != v4.end( ) ; Iter4++ )
      cout << *Iter4 << " ";
   cout << ")." << endl;

   cout << "Vector v5 = max (v1,v3) is ( " ;
   for ( Iter5 = v5.begin( ) ; Iter5 != v5.end( ) ; Iter5++ )
      cout << *Iter5 << " ";
   cout << ")." << endl;
}

Using integers 6 and -7...
The integer with the greater absolute value is: -7
The integer with the greater value is: 6.

Comparing the members of an initializer_list...
The member with the greater value is: 6
The integer wiht the greater absolute value is: -7
s1 = ( CInt( 1 ), CInt( 2 ) ).
s2 = ( CInt( 2 ), CInt( 3 ) ).
s3 = max ( s1, s2 ) = ( CInt( 2 ), CInt( 3 ) ).

Vector v1 is ( 0 1 2 ).
Vector v2 is ( 0 1 2 ).
Vector v3 is ( 0 2 4 ).
Vector v4 = max (v1,v2) is ( 0 1 2 ).
Vector v5 = max (v1,v3) is ( 0 2 4 ).

Requirements

Header: <algorithm>

Namespace: std

See Also

Reference

Standard Template Library