vec.erase( std::remove_if( vec.begin(), vec.end(), some_condition_functor ) ); or: for( std::vector<T>::iterator it = vec.begin(); it != vec.end() ) { if( some_condition ) it = vec.erase(it); else ++it; } the key here is that erase() returns the next valid iterator. "Stepping back" like that isn't correct - after you call erase on that iterator, it's invalidated. The first method above is usually preferred, the second works but is less efficient. FYI I coded this within the email, so there may be something wrong... Mike _____ From: bringiton bringiton [mailto:kneeride@gmail.com] Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:56 PM To: boost-users@lists.boost.org Subject: [Boost-users] erase and iterators is this common practise for using an interator with erase? what i wish to do is interate through each item and delete the item if some condition is true. when i delete, i need to move back a step so that i dont miss an item. for (std::vector<int>::iterator it = vect.begin(); it != vect.end(); it++) { if ((*it) == 5) { // some condition vect.erase(it); it--; // step back } } or would it be best to use a reverse iterater? (or possible?) for (std::vector<int>::reverse_iterator it2 = vect.rbegin(); it2 != vect.rend(); it2++) { if ((*it) == 5) { // i'm not actually sure how to erase with a reverse iterator??? vect.erase(it2); } }