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

// template function
template <typename T> T cube(T value)
{
  cout << "Cubing a " << typeid(T).name() << " (template): " << value << endl;
  return value * value * value;
}

// regular function declaration
int cube(int value);

// explicit specialization cube<int> declaration
template <> int cube(int value);

Cube.cpp: Implementations and explicit instantiations

#include "cube.h"  // templates, declarations only

  // regular function (non-template)
int cube(int value)
{
  cout << "Cubing an int (regular): " << value << endl;
  return value * value * value;
}

  // explicit specialization cube<int>
template <> int cube(int value)
{
  cout << "Cubing an int (specialization): " << value << endl;
  return value * value * value;
}

  // explicit instantiations
template double cube(double); // Deduces cube<double>
template float cube(float);   // Deduces cube<float>
template char cube(char);     // Deduces cube<char>

FileCube1.cpp: Using template functions

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

#include "cube.h"

void UseCube1(void)
{
  cout << "In FileCube1: UseCube1 ***********************************************\n";
                                      // MSVC 6.0   GNU/BOR/7.1
  cout << cube(5) << endl;            // regular    regular
  cout << cube<double>(10L) << endl;  // template   template
  cout << cube(2.5F) << endl;         // template   template
  cout << cube<int>(2.5) << endl;     // regular    special  (warning possible loss of data)
  cout << cube<char>(5) << endl;      // template   template
  cout << cube('A') << endl;          // template   template
  cout << cube<int>(25) << endl;      // regular    special
}

FileCube2.cpp: Using template functions

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

#include "cube.h"

void UseCube2(void)
{
  cout << "In FileCube2: UseCube2 ***********************************************\n";
                                      // MSVC 6.0   GNU/BOR/7.1
  cout << cube(5) << endl;            // regular    regular
  cout << cube<double>(10L) << endl;  // template   template
  cout << cube(2.5F) << endl;         // template   template
  cout << cube<int>(2.5) << endl;     // regular    special  (warning possible loss of data)
  cout << cube<char>(5) << endl;      // template   template
  cout << cube('A') << endl;          // template   template
  cout << cube<int>(25) << endl;      // regular    special
}

CubeMain.cpp: Using template functions

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

#include "cube.h"

void UseCube1(void);
void UseCube2(void);

int main(void)
{
  UseCube1();
  UseCube2();
  cout << "In main ***********************************************\n";
  
                                      // MSVC 6.0   GNU/BOR/7.1
  cout << cube(5) << endl;            // regular    regular
  cout << cube<double>(10L) << endl;  // template   template
  cout << cube(2.5F) << endl;         // template   template
  cout << cube<int>(2.5) << endl;     // regular    special  (warning possible loss of data)
  cout << cube<char>(5) << endl;      // template   template
  cout << cube('A') << endl;          // template   template
  cout << cube<int>(25) << endl;      // regular    special
  return 0;
}