Re: [boost] A little utility class I'd like to contribute to boost

From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-06-13 21:10:06

At 08:51 PM 6/13/2001, David Abrahams wrote:

 >
 >----- Original Message -----
 >From: "Luis Pedro Coelho" <deepblack9_at_[hidden]>
 >
 >> template <typename T, T init = T()>
 >> struct auto_init {
 >>         auto_init():object(init) { }
 >>         auto_init(const T& other):object(other) { }
 >>         operator T& () { return object; }
 >>         operator const T& () const { return object; }
 >>         T& operator = (const T& other) { object = other; return object; 
}
 >>         void reset() { object = init; }
 >>     private:
 >>         T object;
 >> };
 >>
 >> Copyright is by me (I do not recall seeing this anywhere) but I place 
no
 >> restrictions on the use of the above code.
 >>
 >> I have added a little function called reset() to reset the object to 
its
 >> initial value because I have found use for it. I originally kept the
 >object
 >> public, but have never found a need for it, so I changed it to private.
 >>
 >> I think this small class could go into boost/utility.hpp.
 >>
 >> What do you think?
 >
 >
 >I think it's nice, but would prefer to call the template "initialized".
 >Also, I note that it /only/ works with built-in integer types. What about
 >pointers and floating types? I think these deserve an "initialized" type 
as
 >well.

Also, documentation and a test program would help.  And are there any known 
limitations on the object's usage?

--Beman