Primary Template, unique_ptr<T>

C++23

// 1)
constexpr void reset( pointer ptr = pointer() ) noexcept;

C++11

// 1)
void reset( pointer ptr = pointer() ) noexcept;

Specialization for Arrays, unique_ptr<T[]>

C++23

// 2)
template< class U >
constexpr void reset( U ptr ) noexcept;
// 3)
constexpr void reset( std::nullptr_t = nullptr ) noexcept;

C++11

// 2)
template< class U >
void reset( U ptr ) noexcept;
// 3)
void reset( std::nullptr_t = nullptr ) noexcept;

Description

Replaces the managed object.

1)

Given current_ptr, the pointer that was managed by *this, performs the following actions, in this order:

• Saves a copy of the current pointer old_ptr = current_ptr
• Overwrites the current pointer with the argument current_ptr = ptr
• If the old pointer was non-empty, deletes the previously managed object if(old_ptr) get_deleter()(old_ptr).

2)

Behaves the same as the reset member of the primary template, except that it will only participate in overload resolution if either

• U is the same type as pointer, or
• pointer is the same type as element_type* and U is a pointer type V* such that V(*)[] is convertible to element_type(*)[].

3)

Equivalent to reset(pointer())

Parameters

ptr - pointer to a new object to manage

Return value

(none)

Notes

To replace the managed object while supplying a new deleter as well, move assignment operator may be used.

A test for self-reset, i.e. whether ptr points to an object already managed by *this, is not performed, except where provided as a compiler extension or as a debugging assert. Note that code such as p.reset(p.release()) does not involve self-reset, only code like p.reset(p.get()) does.

Example

#include <iostream>
#include <memory>
 
struct Foo { // object to manage
    Foo() { std::cout << "Foo...\n"; }
    ~Foo() { std::cout << "~Foo...\n"; }
};
 
struct D { // deleter
    void operator() (Foo* p) {
        std::cout 
            << "Calling delete for Foo object... \n";
        delete p;
    }
};
 
int main()
{
    std::cout 
        << "Creating new Foo...\n";
    std::unique_ptr<Foo, D> up(new Foo(), D());  // up owns the Foo pointer (deleter D)
 
    std::cout 
        << "Replace owned Foo with a new Foo...\n";
    up.reset(new Foo());  // calls deleter for the old one
 
    std::cout 
        << "Release and delete the owned Foo...\n";
    up.reset(nullptr);      
}

Result

Creating new Foo...
Foo...
Replace owned Foo with a new Foo...
Foo...
Calling delete for Foo object...
~Foo...
Release and delete the owned Foo...
Calling delete for Foo object...
~Foo...

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 2118	C++11	unique_ptr<T[]>::reset rejected qualification conversions	accepts