[boost] boost::scoped_array::release?

From: Ralf W. Grosse-Kunstleve (rwgk_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-03-08 18:05:12

Does this patch for boost/scoped_array.hpp look useful?

<     T * release() // never throws
<     {
<       T * result = ptr;
<       ptr = 0;
<       return result;
<     }
< 

It allows me to use boost::scoped_array almost like an auto_ptr:

  int*
  foo(size)
  {
    boost::scoped_array<int> result(new int[size]);
    // do something to result
    // if an exception is thrown result will be cleaned up
    return result.release();
  }

  void
  bar()
  {
    boost::scoped_array<int> foo_result(foo(1000));
    // code is still exception safe
  }

I wouldn't need this if

  - we had std::auto_array (don't think it exists)
  - std::vector<int>(size) wouldn't do the default construction of all elements
and I didn't care about having two pointers instead of just one (sometimes I
actually do care)
  - boost::scoped_array::ptr was protected instead of private so that I could
inherit and add release()

Are there arguments for not adding release()?

Cheers,
        Ralf

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