Boost C++ Libraries

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Creation and Modification

Template parameters

R-tree has 5 parameters but only 2 are required:

rtree<Value,
      Parameters,
      IndexableGetter = index::indexable<Value>,
      EqualTo = index::equal_to<Value>,
      Allocator = std::allocator<Value> >
Values and Indexables

R-tree may store Values of any type as long as passed function objects know how to interpret those Values, that is extract an Indexable that the R-tree can handle and compare Values.

By default function objects index::indexable<Value> and index::equal_to<Value> are defined for some typically used Value types which may be stored without defining any additional classes. By default the rtree may store pure Indexables, pairs and tuples. In the case of those two collection types, the Indexable must be the first stored type.

By default boost::tuple<...> is supported on all compilers. If the compiler supports C++11 tuples and variadic templates then std::tuple<...> may be used "out of the box" as well.

Examples of default Value types:

geometry::model::point<...>
geometry::model::point_xy<...>
geometry::model::box<...>
std::pair<geometry::model::box<...>, unsigned>
boost::tuple<geometry::model::point<...>, int, float>

The predefined index::indexable<Value> returns const reference to the Indexable stored in the Value.

[Important] Important

The translation is done quite frequently inside the container - each time the rtree needs it.

The predefined index::equal_to<Value>:

Balancing algorithms compile-time parameters

Values may be inserted to the R-tree in many various ways. Final internal structure of the R-tree depends on algorithms used in the insertion process and parameters. The most important is nodes' balancing algorithm. Currently, three well-known types of R-trees may be created.

Linear - classic R-tree using balancing algorithm of linear complexity

index::rtree< Value, index::linear<16> > rt;

Quadratic - classic R-tree using balancing algorithm of quadratic complexity

index::rtree< Value, index::quadratic<16> > rt;

R*-tree - balancing algorithm minimizing nodes' overlap with forced reinsertions

index::rtree< Value, index::rstar<16> > rt;
Balancing algorithms run-time parameters

Balancing algorithm parameters may be passed to the R-tree in run-time. To use run-time versions of the R-tree one may pass parameters which names start with dynamic_.

// linear
index::rtree<Value, index::dynamic_linear> rt(index::dynamic_linear(16));

// quadratic
index::rtree<Value, index::dynamic_quadratic> rt(index::dynamic_quadratic(16));

// rstar
index::rtree<Value, index::dynamic_rstar> rt(index::dynamic_rstar(16));

The obvious drawback is a slightly slower R-tree.

Non-default parameters

Non-default R-tree parameters are described in the reference.

Copying, moving and swapping

The R-tree is copyable and movable container. Move semantics is implemented using Boost.Move library so it's possible to move the container on a compilers without rvalue references support.

// default constructor
index::rtree< Value, index::rstar<8> > rt1;

// copy constructor
index::rtree< Value, index::rstar<8> > rt2(r1);

// copy assignment
rt2 = r1;

// move constructor
index::rtree< Value, index::rstar<8> > rt3(boost::move(rt1));

// move assignment
rt3 = boost::move(rt2);

// swap
rt3.swap(rt2);
Inserting and removing Values

The following code creates an R-tree using quadratic balancing algorithm.

using namespace boost::geometry;
typedef std::pair<Box, int> Value;
index::rtree< Value, index::quadratic<16> > rt;

To insert or remove a `Value' by method call one may use the following code.

Value v = std::make_pair(Box(...), 0);

rt.insert(v);

rt.remove(v);

To insert or remove a `Value' by function call one may use the following code.

Value v = std::make_pair(Box(...), 0);

index::insert(rt, v);

index::remove(rt, v);

Typically you will perform those operations in a loop in order to e.g. insert some number of Values corresponding to geometrical objects (e.g. Polygons) stored in another container.

Additional interface

The R-tree allows creation, inserting and removing of Values from a range. The range may be passed as [first, last) Iterators pair or as a Range.

namespace bgi = boost::geometry::index;
typedef std::pair<Box, int> Value;
typedef bgi::rtree< Value, bgi::linear<32> > RTree;

std::vector<Value> values;
/* vector filling code, here */

// create R-tree with default constructor and insert values with insert(Value const&)
RTree rt1;
BOOST_FOREACH(Value const& v, values)
   rt1.insert(v);

// create R-tree with default constructor and insert values with insert(Iter, Iter)
RTree rt2;
rt2.insert(values.begin(), values.end());

// create R-tree with default constructor and insert values with insert(Range)
RTree rt3;
rt3.insert(values);

// create R-tree with constructor taking Iterators
RTree rt4(values.begin(), values.end());

// create R-tree with constructor taking Range
RTree rt5(values);

// remove values with remove(Value const&)
BOOST_FOREACH(Value const& v, values)
   rt1.remove(v);

// remove values with remove(Iter, Iter)
rt2.remove(values.begin(), values.end());

// remove values with remove(Range)
rt3.remove(values);
Insert iterator

There are functions like std::copy(), or R-tree's queries that copy values to an output iterator. In order to insert values to a container in this kind of function insert iterators may be used. Geometry.Index provide its own bgi::insert_iterator<Container> which is generated by bgi::inserter() function.

namespace bgi = boost::geometry::index;
typedef std::pair<Box, int> Value;
typedef bgi::rtree< Value, bgi::linear<32> > RTree;

std::vector<Value> values;
/* vector filling code, here */

// create R-tree and insert values from the vector
RTree rt1;
std::copy(values.begin(), values.end(), bgi::inserter(rt1));

// create R-tree and insert values returned by a query
RTree rt2;
rt1.spatial_query(Box(/*...*/), bgi::inserter(rt2));

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