shared_ptr release

Question

Possible Duplicate:
How to release pointer from boost::shared_ptr?
Detach a pointer from a shared_ptr?

I'm attempting to release a shared_ptr (the way you can release a unique_ptr). I know this doesn't make sense when the shared_ptr isn't unique, but I have a shared_ptr which is guaranteed to be unique. I've tried...

m_pObj.reset((T*)nullptr, [](T* const){});

...but it just deletes the object anyway. I'm not sure what that deleter argument is good for if shared_ptr winds up calling delete anyway.

Is there any way to achieve this (solutions specific to VS2010 are welcome if there is no other way).

Solution

^{Before this get's closed as dup, I'll add my take on this.}

I think there are a lot of good reasons why you would occasionally want to release a shared_ptr (or boost::scoped_ptr). However, the people who designed these classes think that you should not be able to do this. (It's their baby, they have a right to.)

As far as I can see, it is simply not possible to detach a shared_ptr. You will need to either use another class or come up with a design where you do not need to detach it.

And I should read the dupes as you can actually hack it together using a very special deleter.

Comments

[Drew Delano]

Why do you want to subvert shared_ptr?

[sehe]

The deleter accompanies the NEW value

[Mooing Duck]

The only way to release it is probably to give someone else a shared_ptr, or rethink your entire design

[David]

I actually just solved this after reading this.... stackoverflow.com/questions/1833356/…