I am not an expert on "this", so my understanding below may not be accurate. The insertion itself is of course valid: class A { ... void insert_me(std::vector& v) { v.push_back(this); } }; However, consider how the client may use it: A* aa = ...; aa->insert_me(v); Since you get a hand on aa already, why don't you just call instead: v.push_back(aa); Now if you use smart pointers instead of naked pointers, the latter approach lets the client code handle it, which will be easy with for example shared_ptr. There is no insert_me(), and therefore not a chance for insert_me() to impose extra (and probably confusing) assumption about how multiple smart pointers should manage the life cycle. If you insist using insert_me() with smart pointers, as as Benjamin pointed out, you may need to use boost::enable_shared_from_this. Otherwise a shared_ptr instantiated with a this pointer in insert_me() is very dangerous, because it will eventually try to delete aa even if aa was created on the stack. -------------------------------------------------- From: "Hossein Haeri" Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 8:16 PM To: Subject: [Boost-users] [PtrContainer] Inserting "this" Pointers

Dear all,

Is inserting "this" pointers into pointer containers valid? If so, what are the consequences? Would that need special care for example?

TIA, --Hossein

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