std::shared_ptr<T>::owner_before

 

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Smart pointers unique_ptr (C++11) shared_ptr (C++11) weak_ptr (C++11) auto_ptr (until C++17*) owner_less (C++11) owner_less<void> (C++17) owner_hash (C++26) owner_equal (C++26) enable_shared_from_this (C++11) bad_weak_ptr (C++11) default_delete (C++11) out_ptr_t (C++23) inout_ptr_t (C++23) Low level memory management operator new operator new[] operator delete operator delete[] get_new_handler (C++11) set_new_handler launder (C++17) bad_alloc bad_array_new_length (C++11) nothrow_t align_val_t (C++17) destroying_delete_t (C++20) new_handler nothrow Miscellaneous pointer_traits (C++11) to_address (C++20) addressof (C++11) align (C++11) assume_aligned (C++20) C Library malloc calloc realloc    aligned_alloc (C++17) free

 

std::shared_ptr

Member functions

shared_ptr::shared_ptr

shared_ptr::~shared_ptr

shared_ptr::operator=

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shared_ptr::reset

shared_ptr::swap

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shared_ptr::get

shared_ptr::operator*shared_ptr::operator->

shared_ptr::operator[] (C++17)

shared_ptr::use_count

shared_ptr::unique (until C++20*)

shared_ptr::operator bool

shared_ptr::owner_before

shared_ptr::owner_hash (C++26)

shared_ptr::owner_equal (C++26)

Non-member functions

swap(std::shared_ptr)

make_sharedmake_shared_for_overwrite (C++20)

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operator<<

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atomic<std::shared_ptr> (C++20)

hash<std::shared_ptr>

Deduction guides(C++17)

 

template< class Y > bool owner_before( const shared_ptr<Y>& other ) const noexcept;
template< class Y > bool owner_before( const std::weak_ptr<Y>& other ) const noexcept;

Checks whether this shared_ptr precedes other in implementation defined owner-based (as opposed to value-based) order. The order is such that two smart pointers compare equivalent only if they are both empty or if they both own the same object, even if the values of the pointers obtained by get() are different (e.g. because they point at different subobjects within the same object).

This ordering is used to make shared and weak pointers usable as keys in associative containers, typically through std::owner_less.

Parameters

other

-

the std::shared_ptr or std::weak_ptr to be compared

Return value

true if *this precedes other, false otherwise. Common implementations compare the addresses of the control blocks.

Example

Run this code

#include <iostream>
#include <memory>
 
struct Foo
{
    int n1;
    int n2; 
    Foo(int a, int b) : n1(a), n2(b) {}
};
 
int main()
{   
    auto p1 = std::make_shared<Foo>(1, 2);
    std::shared_ptr<int> p2(p1, &p1->n1);
    std::shared_ptr<int> p3(p1, &p1->n2);
 
    std::cout << std::boolalpha
              << "p2 < p3 " << (p2 < p3) << '\n'
              << "p3 < p2 " << (p3 < p2) << '\n'
              << "p2.owner_before(p3) " << p2.owner_before(p3) << '\n'
              << "p3.owner_before(p2) " << p3.owner_before(p2) << '\n';
 
    std::weak_ptr<int> w2(p2);
    std::weak_ptr<int> w3(p3);
    std::cout 
//            << "w2 < w3 " << (w2 < w3) << '\n' // won't compile 
//            << "w3 < w2 " << (w3 < w2) << '\n' // won't compile
              << "w2.owner_before(w3) " << w2.owner_before(w3) << '\n'
              << "w3.owner_before(w2) " << w3.owner_before(w2) << '\n';
}

Output:

p2 < p3 true
p3 < p2 false
p2.owner_before(p3) false
p3.owner_before(p2) false
w2.owner_before(w3) false
w3.owner_before(w2) false

Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.

DR	Applied to	Behavior as published	Correct behavior
LWG 2873	C++11	owner_before was not declared noexcept	declared noexcept

See also

owner_less (C++11)

provides mixed-type owner-based ordering of shared and weak pointers (class template)