Jason Dictos wrote:
I'm looking for a way to implement a project using some copy-on-write feature, similar to how STL strings use reference counters to prevent needles copying of data. Is there anything in boost to help me out with this?
*Some* implementations of the STL use (or used) COW strings. That is by no means ubiquitous. Are you aware that reference counting is a pessimization rather than an optimization in the presence of multiple threads for many cases? The locking overhead required to effect reference counting is greater than the cost of copying in such cases. Without COW, other optimizations are possible such as the small object optimization, in which the data is held within the object when small enough and moves to the free store when too large. There has been some recent discussion on this list about such things, in fact. I'm not aware of anything that will help you implement COW, but I suspect you'd be better served by avoiding it on modern computers. _____ Rob Stewart robert.stewart@sig.com Software Engineer, Core Software using std::disclaimer; Susquehanna International Group, LLP http://www.sig.com IMPORTANT: The information contained in this email and/or its attachments is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by reply and immediately delete this message and all its attachments. Any review, use, reproduction, disclosure or dissemination of this message or any attachment by an unintended recipient is strictly prohibited. Neither this message nor any attachment is intended as or should be construed as an offer, solicitation or recommendation to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument. Neither the sender, his or her employer nor any of their respective affiliates makes any warranties as to the completeness or accuracy of any of the information contained herein or that this message or any of its attachments is free of viruses.