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sword::SmartPtrData< MX > Struct Template Reference

A smart pointer template class. More...

Data Fields
MX	mutex_
int	counter_

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Detailed Description

template<class MX>
struct sword::SmartPtrData< MX >

A smart pointer template class.

You generally use it by declaring a PMyClass pointer :

           typedef SmartPtr<MyClass> PMyClass;
  

Then you use PMyClass just as if it was MyClass*, except that you never have to use 'delete' on it.

The == and != operators are inspired from the tips and tricks from http://www.awprofessional.com/isapi/product_id~%7B30931484-F804-4CDD-AD31-E168340DBA60%7D/catalog/article.asp

This Smart Pointer support the following operations:

    SmartPtr<X> sp1, sp3;
    SmartPtr<Y> sp2;

    if (sp1)             // test for non-null
    if (!sp1)            // test for null
    if (sp1 == 0)        // test for null
    if (sp1 != 0)        // test for non-null
    if (sp1 == sp2)      // test for equality (even if types X and Y are unrelated)
    if (sp1 != sp2)      // test for difference (even if types X and Y are unrelated)

    sp1 < sp3            // order relation between smart ptrs on the same type

    sp1 = sp3            // assignment between smart ptrs on the same type
    sp1 = sp2            // assignment between unrelated types. this implies a
                         // dynamic_cast<>, and thus 'sp1' may be null after the '='
                         // if the types did not match

    *sp1                 // access the object
     sp1->               // access the object to call a member

    sp1.getPtr()         // retrieve the underlying pointer (USE WITH GREAT CARE!!)
  

By default, the smart pointer is thread-safe, but you can also create faster, non thread-safe, smart pointer by doing:

    SmartPtr<X, SmartPtrAllocator<X, ACE_Thread_Mutex>, ACE_Thread_Mutex> sp;
  

It also possible to customize how the 'SmartPtrData' housekeeping block is allocated by providing a custom "SmartPtrDataAllocator" class to the template. Two such classes exist:

• SmartPtrdataAllocator_Dynamic : the default one, which allocates the SmartPtrData block onto the heap using new and delete.
• SmartPtrDataAllocator_Embedded : this one assumes the smart-pointed type 'X' also holds the housekeeping data, and provides a method to access it with the following signature:

         SmartPtrData<MX>& X::smartPtrData() throw();
    
  

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