[boost] Weird behaviour/bug in ptr_map

From: Joshua Moore-Oliva (josh_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-12-30 18:16:07

Sorry if you get this twice, it didn't post for me on the first try.

I was doing what I do regularly with std::maps...  a 
m_plsts.erase( m_plsts.begin(), m_plsts.end() ); on a boost::ptr_map.  It 
failed with an assertion error...  Digging around, it came from 
ptr_container/detail/associative_ptr_container.hpp on line 117.  It appears 
that every single erase (including that done by a key) has an assert for the 
map not being empty!

Why is this the case?  As far as I understand, it is valid to attempt to 
remove a key that does not exist.  It follows that the same behaviour would 
occur whether the map was empty or not.  Attempting to remove an element from 
an empty map should not result in an abort.

If I'm unaware of some C++ convention I would love to be informed, however 
this definitely screams bug to me.

Joshua Moore-Oliva