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Cgu::SharedPtr< T > Class Template Reference
handles and smart pointers

This is a smart pointer for managing the lifetime of objects allocated on freestore. More...

`#include <c++-gtk-utils/shared_ptr.h>`

## Public Member Functions
| SharedPtr (T *ptr=0)
| SharedPtr (T *ptr, Cgu::SharedPtrAllocFail::Leave tag)
void | reset (T *ptr=0)
void | reset (T *ptr, Cgu::SharedPtrAllocFail::Leave tag)
| SharedPtr (const SharedPtr &sh_ptr)
| SharedPtr (SharedPtr &&sh_ptr)
template<class U >
| SharedPtr (const SharedPtr< U > &sh_ptr)
template<class U >
| SharedPtr (SharedPtr< U > &&sh_ptr)
SharedPtr & | operator= (SharedPtr sh_ptr)
template<class U >
SharedPtr & | operator= (const SharedPtr< U > &sh_ptr)
template<class U >
SharedPtr & | operator= (SharedPtr< U > &&sh_ptr)
T * | get () const
T & | operator* () const
T * | operator-> () const
unsigned int | get_refcount () const
| ~SharedPtr ()

## Friends
template<class U >
class | SharedPtr

## Detailed Description

### template<class T>
class Cgu::SharedPtr< T >

This is a smart pointer for managing the lifetime of objects allocated on freestore.

See Also
  SharedLockPtr SharedPtrError

This is a smart pointer for managing the lifetime of objects allocated on freestore with the new expression. A managed object will be deleted when the last SharedPtr referencing it is destroyed.

Comparison with std::shared_ptr

Most of the things that can be done by this class can be done by using std::shared_ptr in C++11, but this class is retained in the c++-gtk-utils library not only to retain compatibility with series 1.2 of the library, but also to cater for some cases not met (or not so easily met) by std::shared_ptr:

1. Glib memory slices provide an efficient small object allocator (they are likely to be significantly more efficient than global operator new()/new[](), which generally hand off to malloc(), and whilst malloc() is good for large block allocations it is generally poor as a small object allocator). Internal Cgu::SharedPtr allocation using glib memory slices can be achieved by compiling the library with the --with-glib-memory-slices-no-compat configuration option.
2. If glib memory slices are not used (which do not throw), constructing a shared pointer for a new managed object (or calling reset() for a new managed object) might throw if internal allocation fails. Although by default the Cgu::SharedPtr implementation will delete the new managed object in such a case, it also provides an alternative constructor and reset() method which instead enable the new object to be accessed via the thrown exception object so that user code can decide what to do; std::shared_ptr deletes the new object in every case.
3. A user can explicitly state whether the shared pointer object is to have atomic increment and decrement-and-test with respect to the reference count so that the reference count is thread safe ('no' in the case of Cgu::SharedPtr, and 'yes' in the case of Cgu::SharedLockPtr). Using atomic functions is unnecessary if the managed object concerned is only addressed in one thread (and might cause unwanted cache flushing in certain circumstances). std::shared_ptr will generally always use atomic functions with respect to its reference count in a multi-threaded program.

In favour of C++11's std::shared_ptr, it has an associated std::make_shared() factory function which will construct both the referenced object and the shared pointer's reference count within a single memory block when the first shared pointer managing a particular object is constructed. Cgu::SharedPtr and Cgu::SharedLockPtr always allocate these separately, but this is partly mitigated by the use of glib memory slices to allocate the reference count where the --with-glib-memory-slices-no-compat configuration option is chosen.

In addition, std::shared_ptr has an associated std::weak_ptr class, which Cgu::SharedPtr does not (there is a Cgu::GobjWeakHandle class, but that is cognate with Cgu::GobjHandle and is only usable with GObjects).

If the library is compiled with the --with-glib-memory-slices-no-compat configuration option, as mentioned Cgu::SharedPtr constructs its reference counting internals using glib memory slices. Although it is safe in a multi-threaded program if glib < 2.32 is installed to construct a static SharedPtr object in global namespace (that is, prior to g_thread_init() being called) by means of the default constructor and/or a pointer argument of NULL, it is not safe if constructed with a non-NULL pointer value. If glib >= 2.32 is installed, global objects with memory slices are safe in all circumstances. (Having said that, it would be highly unusual to have global SharedPtr objects.)

## Constructor & Destructor Documentation

template<class T>

Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::SharedPtr | ( | T * | ptr = `0` | ) |
| inline explicit

Constructor taking an unmanaged object.

Parameters

  ptr | The object which the SharedPtr is to manage (if any).

Exceptions

  std::bad_alloc | This constructor will not throw if the 'ptr' argument has a NULL value (the default), otherwise it might throw std::bad_alloc if memory is exhausted and the system throws in that case. If such an exception is thrown, this constructor is exception safe (it does not leak resources), but as well as cleaning itself up this constructor will also delete the managed object passed to it to avoid a memory leak. If such automatic deletion is not wanted in that case, use the version of this constructor taking a Cgu::SharedPtrAllocFail::Leave tag argument.

Note
  std::bad_alloc will not be thrown if the library has been installed using the --with-glib-memory-slices-no-compat configuration option: instead glib will terminate the program if it is unable to obtain memory from the operating system.

template<class T>

Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::SharedPtr | ( | T * | ptr,
|  | Cgu::SharedPtrAllocFail::Leave | tag
| ) |  |
| inline

Constructor taking an unmanaged object.

Parameters

  ptr | The object which the SharedPtr is to manage.
  tag | Passing the tag emumerator Cgu::SharedPtrAllocFail::leave causes this constructor not to delete the new managed object passed as the 'ptr' argument in the event of internal allocation in this method failing because of memory exhaustion (in that event, Cgu::SharedPtrError will be thrown).

Exceptions

  Cgu::SharedPtrError | This constructor might throw Cgu::SharedPtrError if memory is exhausted and the system would otherwise throw std::bad_alloc in that case. This constructor is exception safe (it does not leak resources), and if such an exception is thrown it will clean itself up, but it will not attempt to delete the new managed object passed to it. Access to the object passed to the 'ptr' argument can be obtained via the thrown Cgu::SharedPtrError object.

Note
  1. On systems with over-commit/lazy-commit combined with virtual memory (swap), it is rarely useful to check for memory exhaustion, so in those cases this version of the constructor will not be useful.
  2. If the library has been installed using the --with-glib-memory-slices-no-compat configuration option this version of the constructor will also not be useful: instead glib will terminate the program if it is unable to obtain memory from the operating system.

template<class T>

Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::SharedPtr | ( | const SharedPtr< T > & | sh_ptr | ) |
| inline

This copy constructor does not throw.

Parameters

  sh_ptr | The shared pointer to be copied.

template<class T>

Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::SharedPtr | ( | SharedPtr< T > && | sh_ptr | ) |
| inline

The move constructor does not throw. It has move semantics.

Parameters

  sh_ptr | The shared pointer to be moved.

template<class T>
template<class U >

Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::SharedPtr | ( | const SharedPtr< U > & | sh_ptr | ) |
| inline

A version of the copy constructor which enables pointer type conversion (assuming the type passed is implicitly type convertible to the managed type, such as a derived type). This copy constructor does not throw.

Parameters

  sh_ptr | The shared pointer to be copied.

template<class T>
template<class U >

Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::SharedPtr | ( | SharedPtr< U > && | sh_ptr | ) |
| inline

A version of the move constructor which enables pointer type conversion (assuming the type passed is implicitly type convertible to the managed type, such as a derived type). This move constructor does not throw.

Parameters

  sh_ptr | The shared pointer to be moved.

template<class T>

Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::~SharedPtr | ( |  | ) |
| inline

The destructor does not throw unless the destructor of a managed object throws - that should never happen.

## Member Function Documentation

template<class T>

T* Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::get | ( |  | ) | const
| inline

This method does not throw.

Returns
  A pointer to the managed object (or NULL if none is managed).

template<class T>

unsigned int Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::get_refcount | ( |  | ) | const
| inline

This method does not throw.

Returns
  The number of SharedPtr objects referencing the managed object (or 0 if none is managed by this SharedPtr).

template<class T>

T& Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::operator* | ( |  | ) | const
| inline

This method does not throw.

Returns
  A reference to the managed object.

template<class T>

T* Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::operator-> | ( |  | ) | const
| inline

This method does not throw.

Returns
  A pointer to the managed object (or NULL if none is managed).

template<class T>

SharedPtr& Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::operator= | ( | SharedPtr< T > | sh_ptr | ) |
| inline

This method (and so copy or move assignment) does not throw unless the destructor of a managed object throws.

Parameters

  sh_ptr | the assignor.

Returns
  The SharedPtr object after assignment.

template<class T>
template<class U >

SharedPtr& Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::operator= | ( | const SharedPtr< U > & | sh_ptr | ) |
| inline

A version of the assignment operator which enables pointer type conversion (assuming the type passed is implicitly type convertible to the managed type, such as a derived type). This method does not throw unless the destructor of a managed object throws.

Parameters

  sh_ptr | the assignor.

Returns
  The SharedPtr object after assignment.

template<class T>
template<class U >

SharedPtr& Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::operator= | ( | SharedPtr< U > && | sh_ptr | ) |
| inline

A version of the operator for move assignment which enables pointer type conversion (assuming the type passed is implicitly type convertible to the managed type, such as a derived type). This method does not throw unless the destructor of a managed object throws.

Parameters

  sh_ptr | the shared pointer to be moved.

Returns
  The SharedPtr object after the move operation.

template<class T>

void Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::reset | ( | T * | ptr = `0` | ) |
| inline

Causes the SharedPtr to cease to manage its managed object (if any), deleting it if this is the last SharedPtr object managing it. If the argument passed is not NULL, the SharedPtr object will manage the new object passed (which must not be managed by any other SharedPtr object). This method is exception safe, but see the comments below on std::bad_alloc.

Parameters

  ptr | NULL (the default), or a new unmanaged object to manage.

Exceptions

  std::bad_alloc | This method will not throw if the 'ptr' argument has a NULL value (the default) and the destructor of a managed object does not throw, otherwise it might throw std::bad_alloc if memory is exhausted and the system throws in that case. Note that if such an exception is thrown then this method will do nothing (it is strongly exception safe and will continue to manage the object it was managing prior to the call), except that it will delete the new managed object passed to it to avoid a memory leak. If such automatic deletion in the event of such an exception is not wanted, use the reset() method taking a Cgu::SharedPtrAllocFail::Leave tag type as its second argument.

Note
  std::bad_alloc will not be thrown if the library has been installed using the --with-glib-memory-slices-no-compat configuration option: instead glib will terminate the program if it is unable to obtain memory from the operating system.

template<class T>

void Cgu::SharedPtr< T >::reset | ( | T * | ptr,
|  | Cgu::SharedPtrAllocFail::Leave | tag
| ) |  |
| inline

Causes the SharedPtr to cease to manage its managed object (if any), deleting it if this is the last SharedPtr object managing it. The SharedPtr object will manage the new object passed (which must not be managed by any other SharedPtr object). This method is exception safe, but see the comments below on Cgu::SharedPtrError.

Parameters

  ptr | A new unmanaged object to manage (if no new object is to be managed, use the version of reset() taking a default value of NULL).
  tag | Passing the tag emumerator Cgu::SharedPtrAllocFail::leave causes this method not to delete the new managed object passed as the 'ptr' argument in the event of internal allocation in this method failing because of memory exhaustion (in that event, Cgu::SharedPtrError will be thrown).

Exceptions

  Cgu::SharedPtrError | This method might throw Cgu::SharedPtrError if memory is exhausted and the system would otherwise throw std::bad_alloc in that case. Note that if such an exception is thrown then this method will do nothing (it is strongly exception safe and will continue to manage the object it was managing prior to the call), and it will not attempt to delete the new managed object passed to it. Access to the object passed to the 'ptr' argument can be obtained via the thrown Cgu::SharedPtrError object.

Note
  1. On systems with over-commit/lazy-commit combined with virtual memory (swap), it is rarely useful to check for memory exhaustion, so in those cases this version of the reset() method will not be useful.
  2. If the library has been installed using the --with-glib-memory-slices-no-compat configuration option this version of the reset() method will also not be useful: instead glib will terminate the program if it is unable to obtain memory from the operating system.

## Friends And Related Function Documentation

template<class T>
template<class U >

friend class SharedPtr
| friend

The documentation for this class was generated from the following file:

- shared_ptr.h