Re: [boost] [smart pointers] Proposal to add some small utilities

From: Ion Gaztañaga (igaztanaga_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-11-22 01:03:55

>>1. Overloads of static_pointer_cast, dynamic_pointer_cast,
>>const_pointer_cast overloads for raw pointers, so that we can use
>>pointer_xxx_cast in a generic way.
> 
> 
> Makes sense. :-) boost/utility/pointer_cast.hpp, probably.

Nice!

>>2. Add reinterpret_pointer_cast to complete cast family.
> 
> 
> Out of curiosity, why do you want it?

Well, currently I'm removing reinterpret_casts to convert void pointers 
with static_casts, but if there is some place where a reinterpret_cast 
has sense with raw pointers, I would add it to have complete family. But 
we can live with static_pointer_cast.

>>We should define how this protocol is implemented in boost smart
>>pointers (for example, using overloading or a STL-like rebind mechanism)
>>so that every boost smart pointer developer knows how to make its
>>pointer type protocol-aware.
> 
> 
> template<class T, class U, template<class> class Sp>
>     class pointer_to_other< Sp<T>, U >
>     {
>         typedef Sp<U> type;
>     };
> 
> works with auto_ptr and all boost smart pointers. Other smart pointers may 
> want to specialize pointer_to_other. 

No problem at all. What about other overloads for 2 and 3 template 
parameter smart pointers, so that almost all smart pointers would be 
covered. Of course, we need another version for raw pointers. What about 
boost/utility/pointer_to_other.hpp?

Regards,

Ion