Here are three functions that apply the same operation to all components of a matrix:

• alone_non_var modifies the components of a matrix and returns nothing:

  template <
      typename oper,
      typename compo_a,
      typename alloc_a = std::allocator <compo_a> >
  void alone_non_var (
      var_matrix_base<compo_a,alloc_a> const & mat_a
  );
  

• alone_ret_var modifies the components of a matrix and returns that modified version:

  template <
      typename oper,
      typename compo_a,
      typename alloc_a = std::allocator <compo_a>
  > var_matrix <compo_a,alloc_a> alone_ret_var (
      var_matrix_base<compo_a,alloc_a> const & mat_a
  );
  

• alone_ret_con modifies the components of a copy of a matrix, and returns the copy:

  template <
      typename oper,
      typename compo_a,
      typename compo_z = compo_a,
      typename alloc_a = std::allocator <compo_a>,
      typename alloc_z = std::allocator <compo_z>
  > var_matrix<compo_z,alloc_z> alone_ret_con (
      sub_matrix_base<compo_a,alloc_a> const & mat_a
  );
  

As an example, this program:

#include "SOME_DIRECTORY/mat_gen_dim.h"
using namespace mat_gen_dim;

form const frm {blt{1,3},blt{2,6},blt{5,7}};

int main () {
    std::cout.setf (std::ios::fixed, std::ios::floatfield);
    std::cout.precision (3);

    {
        struct neg_non_var {
            void operator() (double & a) { a = -a; }
        };

        cout << "\n\n -- negate a matrix, return nothing ";
        var_matrix<double> mat_a1 {sub_matrix_linear (frm, 1.0)};
        cout << "\n mat_a1 before: " << mat_a1;

        alone_non_var <neg_non_var,double> (mat_a1);

        cout << "\n mat_a1 after: " << mat_a1;
    } {
        struct neg_ret_var {
            double operator() (double & a) { return a = -a; }
        };

        cout << "\n\n -- negate a matrix, and return a copy of it ";
        var_matrix<double> mat_a2 {sub_matrix_linear (frm, 1.0)};
        cout << "\n mat_a2 before: " << mat_a2;

        con_matrix<double> mat_z2 {
            alone_ret_var <neg_ret_var,double> (mat_a2)
        };

        cout << "\n mat_a2 after: " << mat_a2;
        cout << "\n mat_z2 == what is returned: " << mat_z2;
    } {
        struct neg_ret_con {
            double operator() (double const a) { return -a; }
        };

        cout << "\n\n -- negate a copy of a matrix, and return that copy ";
        con_matrix<double> mat_a3 {sub_matrix_linear (frm, 1.0)};
        cout << "\n mat_a3 before: " << mat_a3;

        con_matrix<double> mat_z3 {
            alone_ret_con <neg_ret_con,double> (mat_a3)
        };

        cout << "\n mat_a3 after: " << mat_a3;
        cout << "\n mat_z3 == what is returned: " << mat_z3;
    }
    return 0;
}

 -- negate a matrix, return nothing 
 mat_a1 before: 
    ( 1 2 5 ) = 1.125    ( 1 2 6 ) = 1.126    ( 1 3 5 ) = 1.135    ( 1 3 6 ) = 1.136
    ( 1 4 5 ) = 1.145    ( 1 4 6 ) = 1.146    ( 1 5 5 ) = 1.155    ( 1 5 6 ) = 1.156
    ( 2 2 5 ) = 1.225    ( 2 2 6 ) = 1.226    ( 2 3 5 ) = 1.235    ( 2 3 6 ) = 1.236
    ( 2 4 5 ) = 1.245    ( 2 4 6 ) = 1.246    ( 2 5 5 ) = 1.255    ( 2 5 6 ) = 1.256
 mat_a1 after: 
    ( 1 2 5 ) = -1.125    ( 1 2 6 ) = -1.126    ( 1 3 5 ) = -1.135    ( 1 3 6 ) = -1.136
    ( 1 4 5 ) = -1.145    ( 1 4 6 ) = -1.146    ( 1 5 5 ) = -1.155    ( 1 5 6 ) = -1.156
    ( 2 2 5 ) = -1.225    ( 2 2 6 ) = -1.226    ( 2 3 5 ) = -1.235    ( 2 3 6 ) = -1.236
    ( 2 4 5 ) = -1.245    ( 2 4 6 ) = -1.246    ( 2 5 5 ) = -1.255    ( 2 5 6 ) = -1.256

 -- negate a matrix, and return a copy of it 
 mat_a2 before: 
    ( 1 2 5 ) = 1.125    ( 1 2 6 ) = 1.126    ( 1 3 5 ) = 1.135    ( 1 3 6 ) = 1.136
    ( 1 4 5 ) = 1.145    ( 1 4 6 ) = 1.146    ( 1 5 5 ) = 1.155    ( 1 5 6 ) = 1.156
    ( 2 2 5 ) = 1.225    ( 2 2 6 ) = 1.226    ( 2 3 5 ) = 1.235    ( 2 3 6 ) = 1.236
    ( 2 4 5 ) = 1.245    ( 2 4 6 ) = 1.246    ( 2 5 5 ) = 1.255    ( 2 5 6 ) = 1.256
 mat_a2 after: 
    ( 1 2 5 ) = -1.125    ( 1 2 6 ) = -1.126    ( 1 3 5 ) = -1.135    ( 1 3 6 ) = -1.136
    ( 1 4 5 ) = -1.145    ( 1 4 6 ) = -1.146    ( 1 5 5 ) = -1.155    ( 1 5 6 ) = -1.156
    ( 2 2 5 ) = -1.225    ( 2 2 6 ) = -1.226    ( 2 3 5 ) = -1.235    ( 2 3 6 ) = -1.236
    ( 2 4 5 ) = -1.245    ( 2 4 6 ) = -1.246    ( 2 5 5 ) = -1.255    ( 2 5 6 ) = -1.256
 mat_z2 == what is returned: 
    ( 1 2 5 ) = -1.125    ( 1 2 6 ) = -1.126    ( 1 3 5 ) = -1.135    ( 1 3 6 ) = -1.136
    ( 1 4 5 ) = -1.145    ( 1 4 6 ) = -1.146    ( 1 5 5 ) = -1.155    ( 1 5 6 ) = -1.156
    ( 2 2 5 ) = -1.225    ( 2 2 6 ) = -1.226    ( 2 3 5 ) = -1.235    ( 2 3 6 ) = -1.236
    ( 2 4 5 ) = -1.245    ( 2 4 6 ) = -1.246    ( 2 5 5 ) = -1.255    ( 2 5 6 ) = -1.256

 -- negate a copy of a matrix, and return that copy 
 mat_a3 before: 
    ( 1 2 5 ) = 1.125    ( 1 2 6 ) = 1.126    ( 1 3 5 ) = 1.135    ( 1 3 6 ) = 1.136
    ( 1 4 5 ) = 1.145    ( 1 4 6 ) = 1.146    ( 1 5 5 ) = 1.155    ( 1 5 6 ) = 1.156
    ( 2 2 5 ) = 1.225    ( 2 2 6 ) = 1.226    ( 2 3 5 ) = 1.235    ( 2 3 6 ) = 1.236
    ( 2 4 5 ) = 1.245    ( 2 4 6 ) = 1.246    ( 2 5 5 ) = 1.255    ( 2 5 6 ) = 1.256
 mat_a3 after: 
    ( 1 2 5 ) = 1.125    ( 1 2 6 ) = 1.126    ( 1 3 5 ) = 1.135    ( 1 3 6 ) = 1.136
    ( 1 4 5 ) = 1.145    ( 1 4 6 ) = 1.146    ( 1 5 5 ) = 1.155    ( 1 5 6 ) = 1.156
    ( 2 2 5 ) = 1.225    ( 2 2 6 ) = 1.226    ( 2 3 5 ) = 1.235    ( 2 3 6 ) = 1.236
    ( 2 4 5 ) = 1.245    ( 2 4 6 ) = 1.246    ( 2 5 5 ) = 1.255    ( 2 5 6 ) = 1.256
 mat_z3 == what is returned: 
    ( 1 2 5 ) = -1.125    ( 1 2 6 ) = -1.126    ( 1 3 5 ) = -1.135    ( 1 3 6 ) = -1.136
    ( 1 4 5 ) = -1.145    ( 1 4 6 ) = -1.146    ( 1 5 5 ) = -1.155    ( 1 5 6 ) = -1.156
    ( 2 2 5 ) = -1.225    ( 2 2 6 ) = -1.226    ( 2 3 5 ) = -1.235    ( 2 3 6 ) = -1.236
    ( 2 4 5 ) = -1.245    ( 2 4 6 ) = -1.246    ( 2 5 5 ) = -1.255    ( 2 5 6 ) = -1.256