Can you explain this member function template?

Any one help me by explaining the real use of function templates. How to they work? This morning I saw some code but i still don't understand the real use of this:

class A
{
template<class T> T getData() const
{
   const T* pointer == dynamic_cast<const T*>(mData)
   if(0 == pointer)
    {
     T defaultValue = T()
    }
  }
private:
  LData *mData; 
};

I don't understand anything of this. Can anyone give me a general idea about function templates?

Th开发者_JAVA技巧anks

I think the should be something like this:

class A
{
template<class T> 
T getData() const
{
   const T* pointer = dynamic_cast<const T*>(mData);
   if(0 == pointer) 
     return T();

   return *T;
}
private:
  LData *mData; 
};

It's trying to get the mData converting that buffer or class (I don't know what LData is) in a T type.

this article may be usefull:

http://www.codersource.net/c/c-tutorial-on-templates/c-templates-function-templates.aspx