C++: access to container of shared_ptr should return raw or shared ptr?

Question

If I use a container of shared_ptrs and explicitely allow access to its elements, should I return shared_ptrs or raw pointers if I intend the container to be the one responsible for "cleaning up"?

class Container
{
private:
    std:vector<shared_ptr<Foo> > foo_ptrs;

public:
    shared_ptr<Foo> operator[](std::size_t index) const {}; // or
    Foo* operator[](std::size_t index) const {};
};

Is there a reason to return shared_ptrs in such a situation, or are raw pointers OK?

Greets!

Answer 1

return a reference

Only return a shared_ptr if you intend the accessors to share in the lifetime management. That is a valid design but as you said Container is solely responsible for the cleanup. shared_ptr is just an implementation detail of Containter, that fact that there is a vector of shared_ptrs used to implement the container shouldn't be exposed through the interface.

Don't return a pointer unless it make sense to get a NULL from Container. Usually it does not. All the user wants is access to the i-th element of the container and a reference does that perfectly.

What you really want is a std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Foo>>. Container is the one managing the memory and says so in member declaration. Everyone else has no business knowing the implementation.

Take a look at Boost.Pointainers if you're unwilling or unable to use C++0x.

Answer 2

You should return a shared_ptr if you want to continue to use the object without worrying about the container element being erased.

Otherwise, you can wind up with an orphaned raw pointer, after some other container user either cleans up the container or erases your referenced element.

Answer 3

What you probably "should" return in this case is a boost::weak_ptr<>, which give you the semantics you are describing (where the container maintains ownership, the object can still be deleted after the external reference is given out, and you can safely discover if the object is still valid on external usage). Of course that requires using boost::shared_ptr<> I think, so it may not be applicable for your situation.

Hope that helps, even if it may not be feasible for you to use.