http://www.boost.org/libs/ptr_container/doc/ptr_container.html I'm currently in the middle of writing an article making the comparison between the above boost pointer containers and the following clone smart pointers: http://code.axter.com/copy_ptr.h http://code.axter.com/cow_ptr.h I'm performing my test using boost_1_33_0, and VC++ 7.1 compiler. I'm comparring vector<copy_ptr<T> > to boost::ptr_vector<T> I want to make sure that my article is accurate and complete, so I'm posting this question. When trying to compile using copy constructor for ptr_vector, I get a compile error. boost::ptr_vector<Shape> CopyViaContainerCopyConstructor(ContainerOfOriginalShapes); //Will not compileContainerType boost::ptr_vector<Shape> CopyViaContainerCopyConstructor = ContainerOfOriginalShapes; //Will not compile Is this by design, and if so, why doesn't the boost pointer container have a copy constructor like the STL containers have? Another standard STL container interface that fails to compile using ptr_container is push_back via dereferenced iterator. Example: for(it = ContainerOfOriginalShapes.begin();it != ContainerOfOriginalShapes.end();++it) CopyViaContainerForLoopIterator.push_back(*it); Is this also by designed, and if so, why? I also notice that the follow code fails at runtime. boost::ptr_vector<Shape> CopyViaContainerForLoopOp(ContainerOfOriginalShapes.size()); for(i = 0;i < ContainerOfOriginalShapes.size();++i) CopyViaContainerForLoopOp[i] = ContainerOfOriginalShapes[i]; However, if I do the following, then it works: //Try creating the right size for the container via push_back for(i = 0;i < ContainerOfOriginalShapes.size();++i) CopyViaContainerForLoopOp.push_back(Shape::AbstractFactory(SourceData[i][0], SourceData[i][1])); //Again test copy via for loop using operator[] for(i = 0;i < ContainerOfOriginalShapes.size();++i) CopyViaContainerForLoopOp[i] = ContainerOfOriginalShapes[i]; Is there a problem with the way ptr_vector gets constructed when size argument is used for constructor with out a default value? When using the VC++ 7.1 compiler, I notice I get a compile warning "resolved overload was found by argument-dependent lookup" See full warning in following link: http://code.axter.com/boost_ptr_containers/compilerwarnings.txt Warning for following code: http://code.axter.com/boost_ptr_containers/BoostPolymorphicContainerTest.cpp http://code.axter.com/boost_ptr_containers/shape.h Is this a problem with VC++ 7.1 giving a false warning, or with the ptr_vector code design? I also welcome any additional input that may be useful for the article. Thank you