Re: Adding pointer to container

From:
Kai-Uwe Bux <jkherciueh@gmx.net>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++
Date:
Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:48:27 -0400
Message-ID:
<g342nb$ung$1@aioe.org>
Paavo Helde wrote:

rpbg123@yahoo.com (Roland Pibinger) kirjutas:

On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:36:07 -0700 (PDT), tech rote:

Hi, i have a std::vector of pointers to base classes say
std::vector<element*> m_elements;
how do i make the followin exception safe

function()
{
   element* e= new DerivedElement;
   m_elements.push_back(element);
}


You question includes more than one aspect:

1. STL is designend for values only (a.k.a. 'value semantics'), not
objects or pointers to objects. Put simply, STL doesn't work with
pointers.


It seems this is so ridiculous no one has bothered to answer. For innocent
bystanders I just remind that pointers are values in C++.


It is true, though, that pointers often require special handling when
dealing with containers. The most basic issue is illustrated by

  std::map< char const *, some_type >

By default, the map will compare pointer values and not the strings they
represent. Very likely that is _not_ the desired behavior.

Best

Kai-Uwe Bux

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