7.2 Smart Pointer Class Hierarchy

Figure 32 shows the classes in the Smart Pointer package.

Figure 32 -- Smart Pointer class hierarchy

7.2.1 Template Parameter Naming Conventions

The classes in the hierarchy include formal template parameters that represent the types of associated objects. These parameters include:

Body - The type of the pointed-to object

Counter - The type of the reference-counter

Mutex - The type of the synchronization mechanism

7.2.2 Handle-Body Classes in Class Hierarchies

The Threads.h++ packages use handle-body classes in different ways. In some packages, the handle classes automatically create their bodies. In these chapters, the class hierarchies include only the handle classes, because developers do not have to deal with the body classes.

Other packages require developers to explicitly select and construct a body for the handle. In these chapters, the handle and body classes appear together in class hierarchies. The hierarchies are arranged in two columns, with the handle classes on the left and the corresponding body classes on the right. A line connecting RWHandleBase and RWBodyBase represents the relationship between the set of handle and body classes, as shown in Figure 33.

Figure 33 -- Handle-body base classes.