The C++ compiler generates the following methods for template instances:

• Those methods which were actually used
• Virtual methods of an instance
• All methods of explicitly instantiated classes

Optionally, you can use the ‘-Ja’ switch to generate all methods. 

You can also force all of the out-of-line methods of a template instance to be generated by using the explicit template instantiation syntax defined in the ISO/ANSI C++ Standard. The syntax is: 

template class classname<template parameter>; 

The following STL example directs the compiler to generate all out-of-line methods for the “list<char>” class, regardless of whether they are referenced by the user’s code:

template class list<char>

You can also explicitly instantiate a single method, or a single static data member of a template class, which means that the method is generated to the .OBJ even though it is not used:

template void classname <template parameter>:: methodname ();