std::shared_ptr<T>::owner_before

Checks whether this shared_ptr precedes other in implementation defined owner-based (as opposed to value-based) order. The order is such that two smart pointers compare equivalent only if they are both empty or if they both own the same object, even if the values of the pointers obtained by get() are different (e.g. because they point at different subobjects within the same object).

# Declarations

template< class Y >
bool owner_before( const shared_ptr<Y>& other ) const noexcept;

template< class Y >
bool owner_before( const std::weak_ptr<Y>& other ) const noexcept;

# Parameters

other: the std::shared_ptr or std::weak_ptr to be compared

# Return value

true if *this precedes other, false otherwise. Common implementations compare the addresses of the control blocks.

# Example

#include <iostream>
#include <memory>
 
struct Foo
{
    int n1;
    int n2; 
    Foo(int a, int b) : n1(a), n2(b) {}
};
 
int main()
{   
    auto p1 = std::make_shared<Foo>(1, 2);
    std::shared_ptr<int> p2(p1, &p1->n1);
    std::shared_ptr<int> p3(p1, &p1->n2);
 
    std::cout << std::boolalpha
              << "p2 < p3 " << (p2 < p3) << '\n'
              << "p3 < p2 " << (p3 < p2) << '\n'
              << "p2.owner_before(p3) " << p2.owner_before(p3) << '\n'
              << "p3.owner_before(p2) " << p3.owner_before(p2) << '\n';
 
    std::weak_ptr<int> w2(p2);
    std::weak_ptr<int> w3(p3);
    std::cout 
//            << "w2 < w3 " << (w2 < w3) << '\n' // won't compile 
//            << "w3 < w2 " << (w3 < w2) << '\n' // won't compile
              << "w2.owner_before(w3) " << w2.owner_before(w3) << '\n'
              << "w3.owner_before(w2) " << w3.owner_before(w2) << '\n';
}

# Defect reports

DR	Applied to	Behavior as published	Correct behavior
LWG 2873	C++11	owner_before was not declared noexcept	declared noexcept

# See also

owner_less