[boost] Re: Sorting list < shared_ptr < foo > > using std::list::sort()

From: Daniel Frey (daniel.frey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-04-24 11:01:40

Heath Davis wrote:
> Bravo!!! This is a truly novel approach!  I agree that the 
> shared_ptr::operator< is meaningless.  If boost wishes to claim STL 
> compatibility, container functions should be allowed to operate directly 
> on the base level objects, rendering smart pointers completely 
> transparent.

I disagree strongly. A smart pointer is an as-transparent-as-possible 
replacement for a pointer, not a replacement for the object! What you 
are thinking about is a smart reference or something like that. Smart 
pointers behave like pointers and this is what your problem was. As Dave 
showed, a simple

my_list.sort( *_1 < *_2 );

is all you need to provide the correct sorting - that's not asked for 
too much, is it? :)

You are trying to address different problems by a single class and this 
is IMHO a bad idea. A vote to keep the smart pointer semantics as they are.

Regards, Daniel

-- 
Daniel Frey
aixigo AG - financial training, research and technology
Schloß-Rahe-Straße 15, 52072 Aachen, Germany
fon: [phone], fax: [phone]
eMail: daniel.frey_at_[hidden], web: http://www.aixigo.de