C / C++ / MFC

// functionTest.cpp

//
// headers
//

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

#include "function.h"

//
// namespace
//

using std::cout;
using std::endl;
using std::vector;
using std::string;

//
// simple type defines
//

typedef vector<string> STRINGVECTOR;

//
// application entry-point
//

int main ( int argc, char * argv [] ) {		
	
	STRINGVECTOR myBooks;
	
	// add some of the books I own...
	myBooks.push_back ( "Cryptonomicon" );
	myBooks.push_back ( "Elemental Mind" );
	myBooks.push_back ( "My Brain is Open" );
	myBooks.push_back ( "Principia Mathematica" );
	myBooks.push_back ( "The C Programming Language" );
	
	// my 5th book was recently stolen, and I'd like to complain.
	STRINGVECTOR::iterator stolen = get_n ( 
		myBooks.begin (), myBooks.end (), 4 );
	
	// bitch
	cout << "My copy of \'" << *stolen << "\' was stolen!!" << endl;	

	return 0;
	
}

//
// EOF
//

// function.h 

//
// return an iterator that designates the n-th element in the range [first, last).
//	If no such value exists, the function returns last.
//	
//	first	- iterator to start from.
//	last	- iterator the points one past the last element.
//	index	- zero-based index of iterator to return.
//
template <class _Iterator, class _Size >
_Iterator get_n ( _Iterator first, _Iterator last, _Size index );


#include "function.cpp"

//
// EOF
//

// function.cpp
// #include "function.h" // <-- no need
template <class _Iterator, class _Size >
inline _Iterator get_n ( _Iterator first, _Iterator last, _Size index ) {
	
	while ( first != last && 0 != index ) {		
		
		++first;
		--index;

	}

	return ( first );

}

//
// EOF
//