Initializing a smart pointer

[Joe Van Dyk]

class Foo
{
public:
Foo() : smart_ptr_()
{
// reads some data
int param = read_some_data();
// based off this data, we can create a Something object
smart_ptr_ = smart_pointer<Something>(new Something(param));
}

private:
smart_pointer<Somethingsmart_ptr_;

};
As you can (hopefully) see, I've got a need to dynamically create an
object whose constructor needs some parameters that I can only get at
runtime.

Is the above way the best way to do it? Seems a bit clunky.

Thanks,
Joe

[Ian Collins]

Joe Van Dyk wrote:

class Foo
{
public:
Foo() : smart_ptr_()
{
// reads some data
int param = read_some_data();
// based off this data, we can create a Something object
smart_ptr_ = smart_pointer<Something>(new Something(param));
}

private:
smart_pointer<Somethingsmart_ptr_;

};
As you can (hopefully) see, I've got a need to dynamically create an
object whose constructor needs some parameters that I can only get at
runtime.

Is the above way the best way to do it? Seems a bit clunky.

No more clunky than Something* p = new Something(param);

--
Ian Collins.

[red floyd]

Joe Van Dyk wrote:

class Foo
{
public:
Foo() : smart_ptr_()
{
// reads some data
int param = read_some_data();
// based off this data, we can create a Something object
smart_ptr_ = smart_pointer<Something>(new Something(param));
}

private:
smart_pointer<Somethingsmart_ptr_;

};
As you can (hopefully) see, I've got a need to dynamically create an
object whose constructor needs some parameters that I can only get at
runtime.

Is the above way the best way to do it? Seems a bit clunky.

IMHO, it's probably better to separate the "obtaining data" and
"creating Foo".

e.g.

class Foo {
public:
Foo(int param) : smart_ptr_(new Something(param))
{
}
private:
smart_pointer<Somethingsmart_ptr_;
};

void f()
{
int param = read_some_data();
Foo foo(param);
}

[Axter]

Joe Van Dyk wrote:

class Foo
{
public:
Foo() : smart_ptr_()
{
// reads some data
int param = read_some_data();
// based off this data, we can create a Something object
smart_ptr_ = smart_pointer<Something>(new Something(param));
}

private:
smart_pointer<Somethingsmart_ptr_;

};
As you can (hopefully) see, I've got a need to dynamically create an
object whose constructor needs some parameters that I can only get at
runtime.

Is the above way the best way to do it? Seems a bit clunky.

You can move the constructor logic to another method, which you can
then call on the initialize list.
Example:
class Foo
{
public:
Foo() : smart_ptr_( MakeSomething() )
{
}

static Something* MakeSomething()
{
// reads some data
int param = read_some_data();
// based off this data, we can create a Something object
return new Something(param);
}

private:
smart_pointer<Somethingsmart_ptr_;
};

In above example, I makde the method static, so as to avoid accessing
the object's data members. Any method you call in the initialize list
should avoid accessing the data members, because the Foo object is not
yet formed.

[Murali Krishna]

Joe Van Dyk wrote:

class Foo
{
public:
Foo() : smart_ptr_()
{
// reads some data
int param = read_some_data();
// based off this data, we can create a Something object
smart_ptr_ = smart_pointer<Something>(new Something(param));
}

private:
smart_pointer<Somethingsmart_ptr_;

};
As you can (hopefully) see, I've got a need to dynamically create an
object whose constructor needs some parameters that I can only get at
runtime.

Is the above way the best way to do it? Seems a bit clunky.

Thanks,
Joe

private:
smart_pointer<Somethingsmart_ptr_;

smar_ptr_ is not a pointer. it is an object. It has already been
instantiated.
How can you use new on that?

could be like this..

smart_pointer<Something*smart_ptr_;

smart_ptr_ = smart_pointer<Something>(new Something(param));

you are trying to create an object or type 'Something' where the LValue
is of type 'smart_pointer<Something>'

you can write that statement as follows.. (if *smart_ptr_)

smart_ptr_ = new smart_pointer<Something>(param);

you may ask how to pass the value of param to the construtor of class
'something'.

you have to deal it in the definition of the 'Something' constructor.

-- Murali Krishna

[Murali Krishna]

Murali Krishna wrote:

Joe Van Dyk wrote:

class Foo
{
public:
Foo() : smart_ptr_()
{
// reads some data
int param = read_some_data();
// based off this data, we can create a Something object
smart_ptr_ = smart_pointer<Something>(new Something(param));
}

private:
smart_pointer<Somethingsmart_ptr_;

};
As you can (hopefully) see, I've got a need to dynamically create an
object whose constructor needs some parameters that I can only get at
runtime.

Is the above way the best way to do it? Seems a bit clunky.

Thanks,
Joe

private:
smart_pointer<Somethingsmart_ptr_;

smar_ptr_ is not a pointer. it is an object. It has already been
instantiated.
How can you use new on that?

could be like this..

smart_pointer<Something*smart_ptr_;

smart_ptr_ = smart_pointer<Something>(new Something(param));

you are trying to create an object or type 'Something' where the LValue
is of type 'smart_pointer<Something>'

you can write that statement as follows.. (if *smart_ptr_)

smart_ptr_ = new smart_pointer<Something>(param);

you may ask how to pass the value of param to the construtor of class
'something'.

you have to deal it in the definition of the 'Something' constructor.

-- Murali Krishna

Sorry in 'smart_pointer' constructor

-- Murali Krishna