Re: uncounted_ptr

From: William Kempf (sirwillard_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-01-10 12:28:21

--- In boost_at_[hidden], "Greg Colvin" <greg_at_c...> wrote:
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: William Kempf <sirwillard_at_m...>
> > --- In boost_at_[hidden], "Greg Colvin" <greg_at_c...> wrote:
> > > From: William Kempf <sirwillard_at_m...>
> > > > That said, I would be very interested in a smart pointer that 
> > > > performed similarly to a full blown GC.  In fact, I'd prefer 
this 
> > > > over a real GC.  It would give me complete control when I 
needed it, 
> > > > including the use of RAII harnesses, while making it much 
simpler  to 
> > > > program some constructs in which memory management is the 
hardest 
> > > > issue to deal with.  So my personal vote would be for such a 
> > > > submission.  I don't know if the circ_ptr in the vault 
qualifies, if 
> > > > what you have in mind should be considered instead, or if 
both have 
> > > > pros and cons and should both be considered/accepted.
> > ...
> > > And what is an RAII harness?
> > 
> > Resource Acquisition In Initialization.  It's the principle 
behind 
> > std::auto_ptr and numerous other C++ constructs.  RAII is not 
> > possible (or feasable, at least) in garbage collected languages 
> > because you don't know when (or if) the object will be 
collected.  So 
> > even if such a language included destructors (most don't) you 
rarely 
> > can make use of RAII harnesses.
> 
> You mean "resource acquisition IS initialization"?

I've seen both words used for the third initial.  I *believe* the 
first time this term was coined the word IS was used, but frankly, IN 
makes more sense to me.

>  I'm very
> familiar with auto_ptr, but I still don't what you mean by
> "harness".

Classes whose sole purpose is to add RAII to a concept are often 
referred to as "RAII harnesses".  Whether the term "harness" is 
generally accepted in the C++ vernaculor, I'm not sure, but "RAII 
harness" has been used often enough I thought anyone familiar with 
RAII would know what was meant.  Granted, I really meant RAII in 
general, so I should have been more careful in my wording.  Sorry for 
any confusion.

Bill Kempf