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Handle< T > Class Template Reference
[ReferenceCounting]

A class whose instances act like pointers that manage their reference count automatically. More...

#include <IotrHandle.hh>

List of all members.

Public Methods
	Handle ()
	Default constructor; creates a Handle referring to nothing.
	operator T * ()
	Automatically convert this object into a traditional pointer to an object that may be passed in as a parameter to function or method calls.
T *	ptr () const
	Call HandleAsPointer() instead; return a traditional pointer to the underlying object.
	Handle (T *t)
	Allow EXPLICIT conversion from a (T*) to a Handle to T.
	Handle (const Handle< T > &handle)
	Copy constructor; creates a new Handle referring to the same object.
T &	operator * ()
	Dereferencing operation.
Handle< T > &	operator= (const Handle< T > &handle)
	Assignment operator; cause this Handle to refer to the same object that handle refers to.
	~Handle ()
	Destructor; release the object (through a call to IotrRelease()) if the object is not nil.
T *	operator-> ()
	Send a message to, or access a data member of, the object to which this is a reference.
Static Public Methods
void	bind (Handle< T > &handle, T **obj)
	Converts a traditional pointer to a Handle, destroying the original pointer.
void	referTo (Handle< T > &handle, T *obj)
	Makes a Handle refer to the same object as a traditional pointer.
Protected Attributes
T *	obj
	a traditional pointer to the object being referenced.

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Detailed Description

template<class T>
class Handle< T >

A class whose instances act like pointers that manage their reference count automatically.

Use handles when you wish to keep a reference to a instance of a subclass of IotrRefCount. Do not use a handle to refer to an object passed in as a parameter to a routine, unless you intend to keep the reference after the routine has exited.

See also:

the Reference Counting section, especially the subsection discussing Handles.

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Constructor & Destructor Documentation

template<class T> Handle< T >::Handle (  const Handle< T > &    handle )  [inline]

Copy constructor; creates a new Handle referring to the same object. Increments the reference count of the object. Parameters: handle  an existing reference to an object. This reference may be nil.

template<class T> Handle< T >::Handle (  T *    t )  [inline]

Allow EXPLICIT conversion from a (T*) to a Handle to T. Implicit conversion is not allowed, because this can have subtle, unintended consequences.

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Member Function Documentation

template<class T> T& Handle< T >::operator * (    )  [inline]

Dereferencing operation. Return a reference to the object.

template<class T> Handle< T >::operator T * (    )  [inline]

Automatically convert this object into a traditional pointer to an object that may be passed in as a parameter to function or method calls. For most other purposes Handle::ptr() is more appropriate

template<class T> Handle<T>& Handle< T >::operator= (  const Handle< T > &    handle )  [inline]

Assignment operator; cause this Handle to refer to the same object that handle refers to. Parameters: handle  is an existing reference to an object. This reference may be nil.

template<class T> void Handle< T >::referTo (  Handle< T > &    handle, T *    obj )  [inline, static]

Makes a Handle refer to the same object as a traditional pointer. It is preferable to call HandleReferTo() instead of this method.

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The documentation for this class was generated from the following file:

• IotrHandle.hh

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