Why can I not push_back a unique_ptr into a vector?
What is wrong with this program?
#include <memory>
#include <vector>
int main()
{
std::vector<std::unique_ptr<int>> vec;
int x(1);
std::unique_ptr<int> ptr2x(&x);
vec.push_back(ptr2x); //This tiny command has a vicious error.
return 0;
}
The error:
In file included from c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/mingw32/bits/c++allocator.h:34:0,
from c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/bits/allocator.h:48,
from c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/memory:64,
from main.cpp:6:
c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/bits/unique_ptr.h: In member function 'void __gnu_cxx::new_allocator<_Tp>::construct(_Tp*, const _Tp&) [with _Tp = std::unique_ptr<int>, _Tp* = std::unique_ptr<int>*]':
c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/bits/stl_vector.h:745:6: instantiated from 'void std::vector<_Tp, _Alloc>::push_back(const value_type&) [with _Tp = std::unique_ptr<int>, _Alloc = std::allocator<std::unique_ptr<int> >, value_type = std::unique_ptr<int>]'
main.cpp:16:21: instantiated from here
c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/bits/unique_ptr.h:207:7: error: deleted function 'std::unique_ptr<_Tp, _Tp_Deleter>::unique_ptr(const std::unique_ptr<_Tp, _Tp_Deleter>&) [with _Tp = int, _Tp_Deleter = std::default_delete<int>, std::unique_ptr<_Tp, _Tp_Deleter> = std::unique_ptr<int>]'
c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/ext/new_allocator.h:105:9: error: used here
In file included from c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/vector:69:0,
from main.cpp:7:
c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/bits/unique_ptr.h: In member function 'void std::vector<_Tp, _Alloc>::_M_insert_aux(std::vector<_Tp, _Alloc>::iterator, _Args&& ...) [with _Args = {const std::unique_ptr<int>&}, _Tp = std::unique_ptr<int>, _Alloc = std::allocator<std::unique_ptr<int> >, std::vector<_Tp, _Alloc>::iterator = __gnu_cxx::__normal_iterator<std::unique_ptr<int>*, std::vector<std::unique_ptr<int> > >, typename std::vector<_Tp, _Alloc>::_Base::_Tp_alloc_type::pointer = std::unique_ptr<int>*]':
c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/bits/stl_vector.h:749:4: instantiated from 'void std::vector<_Tp, _Alloc>::push_back(const value_type&) [with _Tp = std::unique_ptr<int>, _Alloc = std::allocator<std::unique_ptr<int> >, value_type = std::unique_ptr<int>]'
main.cpp:16:21: instantiated from here
c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/bits/unique_ptr.h:207:7: error: deleted function 'std::unique_ptr<_Tp, _Tp_Deleter>::unique_ptr(const std::unique_ptr<_Tp, _Tp_Deleter>&) [with _Tp = int, _Tp_Deleter = std::default_delete<int>, std::unique_ptr<_Tp, _Tp_Deleter> = std::unique_ptr<int>]'
c:\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.5.0/include/c++/bits/vector.tcc:314:4: error: used here
You need to move the unique_ptr:
vec.push_back(std::move(ptr2x));
unique_ptr guarantees that a single unique_ptr container has ownership of the held pointer. This means that you can't make copies of a unique_ptr (because then two unique_ptrs would have ownership), so you can only move it.
Note, however, that your current use of unique_ptr is incorrect. You cannot use it to manage a pointer to a local variable. The lifetime of a local variable is managed automatically: local variables are destroyed when the block ends (e.g., when the function returns, in this case). You need to dynamically allocate the object:
std::unique_ptr<int> ptr(new int(1));
In C++14 we have an even better way to do so:
make_unique<int>(5);
std::unique_ptr has no copy constructor. You create an instance and then ask the std::vector to copy that instance during initialisation.
error: deleted function 'std::unique_ptr<_Tp, _Tp_Deleter>::uniqu
e_ptr(const std::unique_ptr<_Tp, _Tp_Deleter>&) [with _Tp = int, _Tp_D
eleter = std::default_delete<int>, std::unique_ptr<_Tp, _Tp_Deleter> =
std::unique_ptr<int>]'
The class satisfies the requirements of MoveConstructible and MoveAssignable, but not the requirements of either CopyConstructible or CopyAssignable.
The following works with the new emplace calls.
std::vector< std::unique_ptr< int > > vec;
vec.emplace_back( new int( 1984 ) );
See using unique_ptr with standard library containers for further reading.
emplace_x() functions are unsafe when using smart pointers.
std::vector and std::unique_ptr are templated classes which should allow heavy compiler optimization. The only thing std::unique_ptr does is prevent copy assignment, everything else should be just optimized away to raw pointer access.
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vec.push_back(std::unique_ptr<int>(new int(1)));.unique_ptrcan also use a custom deleter (which does nothing), but then one must take into account that the address of the local variable becomes invalid at the end of the scope.emplace_back. e.g.vec.emplace_back(new int(1));emplace_backoperation can throw, and if it does, the dynamically allocatedintwill be leaked. The rule of thumb is that all dynamic allocations should be owned by a named smart pointer to avoid leakiness.newnever needs to be invoked directly, which changes the programmer's mindset and avoids (significantly reduces) memory leaks. Advice like "Avoid new and delete" can then appear in the next edition of Meyers/Alexandrescu/Sutter's book :)