How to convert boost::Makevariantover to vector

Question

I have a boost::makevariantover. How can I convert that to a vector . Any samples will be helpful using boost::apply_visitor

class pixel_visitor
    : public boost::static_visitor<>
{

public:

template <typename T>
    void operator() (const ome::compat::shared_ptr<PixelBuffer<T> >& v)
    {
      std::cout << std::real(v);
    }    
};

pixelBuffer test= buf.vbuffer();    
test.apply_visitor(&pixel_visitor());

where

typedef boost::make_variant_over<pixel_buffer_types>::type     pixelBuffer;

Answer 1

We don't know what your pixelbuffer types are.

Regardless, if you know how to convert those to vectors, you could simply return that from the visitor's call operator:

class pixel_visitor
    : public boost::static_visitor<std::vector<WhatEverYouWant> >
{

public:

template <typename T>
    result_type operator() (const ome::compat::shared_ptr<PixelBuffer<T> >& v)
    {
         std::vector<WhatEverYouWant> result;
         // do your conversion here
         return result;
    }    
};

So you can e.g.

std::vector<WhatEverYouWant> applied;

applied = boost_apply_visitor(pixel_visitor(), test);

Answer 2

Instead of .vbuffer() call .array(), it already applies the/a visitor "for you":

template<typename T>
inline typename PixelBuffer<T>::array_ref_type&
VariantPixelBuffer::array()
{
  detail::VariantPixelBufferVisitor<T> v;
  return boost::apply_visitor(v, buffer).array();
}

or .data() for the raw type.