- deprecated Feb-2018, but not marked as such.
The set() method originally enforce an additional run-time check
(Fatal if pointer was already set), but this was rarely used.
In fact, the set() method was invariably used in constructors
where the pointer by definition was unset.
Can now mark as deprecated to catch the last of these.
We prefer reset() for similarity with std::unique_ptr
Eg,
FOAM_EXTRA_CXXFLAGS="-DFoam_autoPtr_deprecate_setMethod" wmake
- behaves the same as the valid() method, but can be queried directly
like a normal raw pointer and as per std::unique_ptr.
Eg,
autoPtr<T> ptr = ...
if (ptr) ...
Improve alignment of its behaviour with std::unique_ptr
- element_type typedef
- release() method - identical to ptr() method
- get() method to get the pointer without checking and without releasing it.
- operator*() for dereferencing
Method name changes
- renamed rawPtr() to get()
- renamed rawRef() to ref(), removed unused const version.
Removed methods/operators
- assignment from a raw pointer was deleted (was rarely used).
Can be convenient, but uncontrolled and potentially unsafe.
Do allow assignment from a literal nullptr though, since this
can never leak (and also corresponds to the unique_ptr API).
Additional methods
- clone() method: forwards to the clone() method of the underlying
data object with argument forwarding.
- reset(autoPtr&&) as an alternative to operator=(autoPtr&&)
STYLE: avoid implicit conversion from autoPtr to object type in many places
- existing implementation has the following:
operator const T&() const { return operator*(); }
which means that the following code works:
autoPtr<mapPolyMesh> map = ...;
updateMesh(*map); // OK: explicit dereferencing
updateMesh(map()); // OK: explicit dereferencing
updateMesh(map); // OK: implicit dereferencing
for clarity it may preferable to avoid the implicit dereferencing
- prefer operator* to operator() when deferenced a return value
so it is clearer that a pointer is involve and not a function call
etc Eg, return *meshPtr_; vs. return meshPtr_();
