How To Create C++ Dictionary?

How To Create C++ Dictionary

Are you ready to learn about the power of C++ dictionaries? Look no further! In this article, we will discuss “How to Create a C++ Dictionary“? We’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of creating C++ dictionaries. 

Discover the implementation methods to make your understanding better. But before we start writing about the implementation process of the Dictionary in C++ programming language, there is a need to understand the Dictionary concept briefly. So, let us have a look there.

Also, if you’re considering learning about C programming language then you can check out our other articles. 

What Is A C++ Dictionary? Get To Know

You might be thinking that C++ Dictionary will help to find words like a normal dictionary. But you are wrong here. So, let us start with the introduction!

C++ Dictionary

It is a container where a programmer can store many elements. Now, you might ask in the array, we can store the data, so what is the necessity of the C++ Dictionary? Now, can you find any element with a particular value in the array?

You can use the index number, but for that, there is a need to know the particular index number. In the case of a dictionary in the C++ programming language, you can store an unlimited number of elements that will not occupy much memory space. Also, the key values can be used for printing purposes.

“While storing unlimited elements is useful, managing complex data associations efficiently can be tricky; if your assignment involves complex data structures, our team can optimize your C++ map implementation.

This means that values in a dictionary are associated with unique keys that can be used to access them. We call these key value pairs.

C++ programming language has many uses. If you’re interested in learning more, explore our detailed guide on applications of C++, which covers its role in software development, game engines, and system programming.

 In the C++ programming language, there is no Dictionary concept present.

Now, let us understand how we can create a dictionary in the C++ programming language and the concept of object mapping.

How To Create The C++ Dictionary?

Now, after having a piece of good knowledge about the Dictionary in C++ programming language, there is a need to implement it we need to follow some steps. That is the reason, we have made the total process in a step-by-step format.

Create C++ Dictionary

Let’s get started with the first step of declaring the header files we require in our program.

  • Declaration Of The Header File:

There is a need to declare a separate header file in C++ programming. For using the Map concept in C++ programming, there is a need to declare a special header file. 

It is the file that will help to do all the operations on the Map concept. As the Map is the Dictionary in C++ programming language, we need to import the #include <map> header file to the programming.

				
					
#include <iostream> // Declaration Of The Normal Header File
#include <map> // The Necessary Important Header File For Dictionary

				
			
  • Declaration Of The Map:

After we declare the header file in the programming, there is a need to declare the map, too. A Map is a container that stores the key-value pairs in C++ language. To fully understand how Map and other containers function, it’s useful to learn about the C++ Standard Library, which provides essential built-in functionalities. To create a dictionary using a c++ map of the standard template library of STL, we need to first declare it. 

“If you are confused about when to use a standard Map (Tree-based) versus a Hash Map, you can book a DSA tutoring session from our experts to understand the underlying time complexity differences.”

We need to first provide the keyword ‘map’ for declaration. Then we are going to provide the data types of the Element & Key Values to form the key-value pairs in it. At last, there is a need to provide the name of the Map object in C++ programming language. Look at the syntax given below.

General Syntax: map<Element Data Type, Key Value Data Type>Map-Name;

  • Providing Elements & Key Values:

Now, it is time to map elements to create our dictionary. Let us see how we can do it.

After the declaration of the Map in C++ programming language, there is a need to provide the elements & key values to make the key value pairs to it. to provide the values, there is a need to follow a special method. The elements that are needed to be inserted into the Map object in C++ programming language, should be placed in the braces. 

				
					storage["Books"] = "Shelf"; // Book Is Element & Shelf Is Key Value

storage["Foods & Drinks"] = "Fridge"; // Foods & Drinks are Element & Fridge Is
Key Value

storage["Cloths"] = "Wardrobe"; // Cloths Is Element & Wardrobe Is Key Value


				
			

So, this is how you can map elements and key values. You can access the element by using its key value.

  • Implementation Of Loop:

After doing all these things, there is a need to develop a loop. Among them, there is a need to implement the for each loop. Because there is a need to access all the elements that are present in the Map in the C++ programming language.

To access these data, there is a need to use the Dot(.) operator. After the name of the Map in the C++ programming language, we need to use two keywords to access it.

You might have learned loops in Python and C programming as well, and most of the students get stuck in the implementation of loops due to a lack of concept clarity. For students struggling with loops and syntax in C, getting C help from experienced programmers can be beneficial.

The first one will be the keyword ‘first’, which will help to access the elements that are inserted into the Map in the C++ programming language. And the other one will be the ‘second’ keyword that will help to access the key values. 

				
					 
for (auto element :storage) { // Running A For Loop To Get All The Elements
cout<<element.first<<" Can Be Stored In "<<element.second<<endl;



				
			

Let us try to find out an entire code where all the above code snippets will collaborate to make a complete example. Let us have a look at the following example.

How To Implement A Complete C++ Dictionary?

Now, let us have a look at the example program below to see how we can create and access the elements or the key-value pairs of a user-defined dictionary using the C++ map keyword.

Generally, we need to use std::map, wherever we are using the map keyword. However, to eliminate the need to write this, we can simply use a namespace for the same i.e ‘using namespace std’. You can see how it is used in the below code.

				
					#include <iostream> // Declaration Of The Header File

#include <map> // The Necessary Important Header File For Dictionary

#include <string> using namespace std;

int main(){

map<string, string>storage; // Declaration Of Dictionary or The Map

// Assigning Elements To Dictionary, First One Is The Element In The Braced & The Second One Is The Key Value 

storage["Books"] = "Shelf"; storage["Foods & Drinks"] = "Fridge";storage["Cloths"] = "Wardrobe";

for (auto element :storage) { // Running A For Loop To Get All The Elements

cout<<element.first<<" Can Be Stored In "<<element.second<<endl; // Printing Each & Every Element }return 0;}

				
			

Let us try to find out the output of the above code. It will help to make us understand the process of implementing Dictionary in C++ programming language.

Output:

Implement A Complete C++ Dictionary Output

From the above output, we can see that the values & the key pairs are shown properly. So, the Dictionary of the C++ programming language works properly in the example.

Now, in the above step-by-step implementation process, we have discussed the creation method of one empty Dictionary in the C++ programming language. But we intend to know all the methods that led to the creation of the Dictionary.

So, a Dictionary can also created  by using another Dictionary. We are going to know about that.

How To Create A Dictionary From Another Dictionary In C++?

It is the simplest process to implement. From one already existing Map or Dictionary, one can create another Dictionary & store the object. For that purpose, there is a special syntax present.

According to the new syntax, the existing Dictionary name should be provided first. Following that, the new Dictionary where the details should be copied needs to be posted. And hence, without any issue, the details will be copied.

Let’s see how it will look based on the new syntax in c++.

General Syntax: map <first data type , second data type> existed-map-name(new-map-name);

Code To Implement A C++ Dictionary From Another Dictionary:

				
					#include <iostream>
#include <map>
using namespace std;

int main() {
map <string, int> first = {{"Jerry", 10}, {"Tom", 20}}; // Implementation Of First Map
map <string, int> two(first); // Copying All The Items To Another Dictionary
for (auto a = two.begin(); a != two.end(); ++a) { // Implementation Of For Loop
cout << a->first << " Is " << a->second << " Years Old" << endl; // Printing The Data
}
return 0;
}


				
			

Steps Of The Program To Implement a C++ Dictionary From Another Dictionary:

  1. First, implement one Dictionary & provide some value to it. It will be used to copy data.
  2. Now, using the above syntax copy the content of the first Dictionary to the second Dictionary.
  3. Implement one for loop & using that extract all the elements & key values of the Dictionary. It will be printed on the screen.

Let us try to find out the output of the above code. It will help us understand the process of implementing a Dictionary in C++ programming language.

Output:

Implement a C++ Dictionary From Another Dictionary

Conclusion:

As we saw, it is very important to find out the C++ Dictionary. It is a very important topic that will be necessary in the future to solve difficult problems. 

We need to remember those highlights related to the Dictionary in C++ programming language. It will make it easier for us to memorize the process more easily. 

There is a need to clear the basis of the C++ programming language to get this topic more easily. There is a need to start this topic from scratch to better understand it. We need to remember that there is no concept of a Dictionary present in the C++ Programming Language. It is a concept that will be of use to us in the future.

So, hope you have liked this blog. Share your thoughts in the comments section and let us know if we can improve more.