Re: [Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #2911: shared_from_this free function

Subject: Re: [Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #2911: shared_from_this free function
From: Boost C++ Libraries (noreply_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-06-08 17:06:33

#2911: shared_from_this free function
-------------------------------+--------------------------------------------
  Reporter:  fhess             |       Owner:  pdimov   
      Type:  Feature Requests  |      Status:  new      
 Milestone:  Boost 1.39.0      |   Component:  smart_ptr
   Version:  Boost 1.38.0      |    Severity:  Problem  
Resolution:                    |    Keywords:           
-------------------------------+--------------------------------------------
Changes (by Jonathan Wakely <jwakely.boost_at_[hidden]>):

 * cc: jwakely.boost_at_[hidden] (added)

Comment:

 This idea is interesting, but I don't like the name because there is no
 {{{this}}} pointer in the context of a non-member function.  Maybe I'm
 wrong, but I regard the "this" in {{{shared_from_this}}} as referring to
 {{{this}}}.  How about {{{shared_from}}} instead?

 {{{
 X* p = ...;
 shared_ptr<X> sp = shared_from(p);
 }}}

 It also seems odd to have a class called
 {{{enable_shared_from_this_base}}} which has a base class called
 {{{enable_shared_from_this}}}!  I understand the reasons, but it seems
 backwards at first glance.

 Renaming the free function to {{{shared_from}}} means your new class could
 be renamed {{{enable_shared_from}}}.  Users who only want to use the free
 function can derive their class X from {{{enable_shared_from}}} (and don't
 need to care that calling {{{p->enable_shared_from_this()}}} returns a
 {{{shared_ptr<enable_shared_from>}}} not a {{{shared_ptr<X>}}}) while
 users who want to use either the free function or the existing member
 function can continue to derive from {{{enable_shared_from_this<X>}}}.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/2911#comment:1>
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