[boost] Interest in a protected pointer

Subject: [boost] Interest in a protected pointer
From: Ray Logel (rlogel_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-02-10 09:28:55

Is there any interest in pointer wrapper similar to scoped_ptr or 
shared_ptr which can be used for pointer member variable which can the 
referenced value can't be modified by non const functions?  This class 
wouldn't be responsible for any memory management and could have a 
shared pointer version as well.

For example:
template<typename T>
class protected_ptr
{
     T * ptr;

     // ...
     T * get();
     const T * get() const;

     // ...  including operator* and operator->
}

class Foo
{
     protected_ptr<Bar> _bar;

     void Func1()
     {
         _bar->NonConstFunc();
         _bar->ConstFunc();
     }

     void Func2() const
     {
         _bar->NonConstFunc();  // Compile error
         _bar->ConstFunc();     // Ok
     }
}

Ray Logel